The Tucson Police Department is a very diverse agency that is built on the principals of working with our community to help make Tucson an amazing city to live and work. The Tucson Police Department is a modern and progressive law enforcement agency, a 21st century law enforcement leader, and are continually improving our training and education to better be “Ready to Protect and Proud to Serve”.
Founded on April 22, 1871 the department was responsible for a city one square mile in size and 3,200 residents, today the department services a city that is over 200 square miles and has over 540,000 residents.
Mission
The mission of the Tucson Police Department is to serve the public in partnership with our community, to protect life and property, prevent crime, and resolve problems.
Values
Leadership: Each member of the organization is responsible for establishing the direction of the department and communicating the vision at every level of the organization. We show the way in our community by going first and guiding those who follow. We are entrusted with caring for the spirit of the organization. Leadership means we:
- Lead by example
- Do the right thing
- Look for and acknowledge things done right
- Create a trusting environment where people can develop
- Are willing to go beyond traditional expectations
Service Orientation: Each employee enhances the quality of life within our community and our department through dedicated service. Service orientation means we:
- Are empathetic and compassionate in dealing with people
- Treat problems as important
- Follow through on promises – if we set an expectation, we meet or exceed it
- Treat people with dignity
Integrity: Our value as police employees depends upon the respect and confidence we earn from the community and each other. The integrity of each individual, as well as the organization, is necessary for citizens to give us their trust. Without this trust, we cannot expect to form a partnership with the community. Integrity means we:
- Are honest
- Admit mistakes and take corrective actions
- Do what we say we will do
- Behave consistently with our Department values
Excellence: We meet challenges and adversity with perseverance to attain individual and organizational goals. Excellence means we:
- Strive for excellence in everything we do
- Are responsible and dependable
- Are accountable
- Commit to our mission and values
Fairness: Fundamental to delivery of professional police service is the fair and equitable treatment of all individuals. Whether citizen or employee, all must be treated with dignity and respect. Fairness means we:
- Act consistently with our values and expectations
- Let compassion and courtesy guide our actions
- Have respect for all people, their ideas and opinions
- Apply rules, regulations and laws in an unbiased manner
- Treat others as we want to be treated
Teamwork: Teamwork is essential to the successful operation of the Department. The team must include all employees working in partnership with each other and the community to attain our goals. Teamwork means we:
- Recognize the police are the people and the people are the police
- Foster cooperation and collaboration with the public
- Include others in planning, decision making, and action
- Commit to the goals, objectives and plans of the team without concern for who receives the credit or blame
- Recognize open communication is fundamental to successful team efforts
- Are supportive of the organization’s efforts
Personal Responsibility: Each of us has a personal responsibility for the success of our community. We respect, care about, trust and support each other. We respect and encourage individual responsibility, while recognizing we have a right and obligation to participate in leading our community. Personal responsibility means we:
- Set a positive example in our personal and professional lives
- Seek challenges and risk success
- Take initiative
- Accept responsibility for our mistakes
Law Enforcement Code of Ethics
As a Law Enforcement Officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the Constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality and justice.
I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all; maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed in both my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty.
I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.
I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the police service. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession...law enforcement.