Relationships with the Public

As Sir Robert Peel stated in 1829, "the police are the public and the public are the police. The police are only members of the public that are paid to give full-time attention to duties that are incumbent upon every citizen in the interest of community welfare and existence."

The Constitution of the State of Georgia states public safety is the paramount duty of government. Thus, the primary goal of this department is to form partnerships with the citizenry that prevent crime while enhancing the community's safety and improving the quality of life.

The department and the citizens accomplish their primary goal in a distinct, two-fold mode:

• When they serve the public by saving lives, aiding the injured, locating the lost, keeping the peace, and providing assistance and advice that prevents crime and/or improves the quality of life
• When they enforce the laws and ordinances of the jurisdiction efficiently, effectively, and equitably in all neighborhoods

The department must perform its mission within the Constitution and with respect for law. All departments are bound and obligated to recognize and adhere both to the statutory as well as the judicial limitations of police authority. It is not the role of police to legislate, to render legal judgments, or to punish. It is the role of police in partnership with the public to problem-solve.

NEXT GOAL: Prevention of Crime