Guiding Principles & Values

The sheriff's office has a long history dating back to early English system of government where the “shire reeve” or sheriff was liaison between the people and the monarch. The sheriff settled disputes, dispensed advice, and generally kept the peace of the land before and after the common law era. The office of sheriff is one of the longest standing traditions of the English law system dating back to the seventh century A.D. and was imported to the colonies and subsequently adopted and democratized by the states.

Guiding Principles

• We believe that life and individual freedoms are sacred.
• We believe in fair and equitable treatment of all individuals.
• Our role is to resolve problems through law and legal mechanisms.
• We recognize the family and neighborhood as basic segments of society.
• We cannot carry out our responsibilities alone, thus, we must be willing to work cooperatively. Our fundamental responsibility to the community is quality service. We, as employees, are our department's most valuable asset.
• We believe employee involvement is vital to a productive environment.
• We are committed to the recognition of human dignity and the enrichment of work life through fair and equitable treatment of employees.
• We demand of ourselves the utmost in honesty, integrity, and professionalism. We hold ourselves to a higher standard of social and professional conduct.

Values

• Preserve and advance democratic values. We will uphold the fundamental values of this democracy through belief in the Constitution and dedication to liberty and justice.
• Improve quality of life. We are dedicated to improving the quality of life in our city and county through spirited and quality service.
• Improve the quality of work life. We are dedicated to improving the quality of work life in our department through interaction and concern for each other.
• Demonstrate professionalism. We will demonstrate honor and integrity in all we do through ethical behavior.