Chief’s Monthly Summary
Public trust in law enforcement is everything. We recognize how quickly it can be destroyed and how long it takes to rebuild it. And, without it, our effectiveness is severely degraded if not eroded completely.
In my role, I am responsible for ensuring we build, foster, and protect the public’s trust in us. That is why our philosophy and practice is to be highly proactive in that endeavor. It is why we write this monthly report. Why we share so much information with you. Information that most agencies would not.
I want your full faith and confidence in our staff. I want you to see what we do, know how we do it, and understand what we do afterwards. I at least want you to pause and look for answers whenever you hear criticism of us rather than reacting immediately.
There is a lesson in the book “Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Wilink and Leif Babin. The lesson is that most employees do not go to work intent on screwing things up. Leaders often leave frustrated when they do, but mistakes are generally not intentional. Angering the boss is not what most employees set out to do. The same is true for Police Officers. Officers who come to work to help people they do not even know; sometimes at tremendous personal sacrifice.
I am not saying we have never made a mistake, or that bad actors have never worn this uniform. But I cannot recall ever working with someone who said, “I am going to violate someone’s civil rights today.” Not in thirty-two years have I heard such a thing. I have heard Officers say, “I am going to help someone today.” The people who answer the 911 calls, respond to your needs, or who manage the multitude of other administrative tasks around here, come to work wanting to improve people’s lives.
I regularly receive questions asking how we protect individual privacy concerns. Your right to privacy is our sworn duty to uphold. We audit every aspect of our jobs. We audit our off-duty employment practices. We audit our use of criminal information networks. We audit special investigative funds, the cash we use in criminal investigations. We audit every piece of evidence and property stored in this building. But, how do you know these things are true? 
We share most of that in this monthly report. But, maybe more importantly, we participate in accreditation programs where we prove our strict adherence to industry best practices. Like Ronald Reagan said, “Trust, but verify.” I trust my people to do the right things always. Still, we check our work and hold ourselves accountable when necessary. We will always protect your privacy, and we will always strive to never damage your trust in us. That is our commitment; our promise.
One Team, One Goal. We are Mountain Excellence.
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