Chief's Message

Our Vision, Mission & Values

The Easton Police Department achieved Professional Accreditation in 2007 from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission. Our department was the forty-sixth department in Pennsylvania to complete this rigorous task. This is an important accomplishment in the pursuit of excellence as a professional law enforcement agency.

As an accredited P.L.E.A.C. Agency, it is incumbent upon us to continue the documentation of adherence to professional standards annually and submit to intense scrutiny every three years by a panel of assessors to maintain our status of accreditation. The pursuit of excellence is a never-ending process that can be achieved only with teamwork and the dedication of all officers and civilian personnel of the Easton Police Department. Our Vision, Mission and Values statements articulate the concepts and principles we hold important. These concepts and principles are the foundation for the performance of our core function in society.

Department Vision

We are committed to working together as a progressive and professional police department, in a problem-solving partnership with community organizations, government agencies, private groups, and individual citizens to fight crime and improve the quality of life for the citizens, visitors and merchants of the City of Easton.

Department Mission

Our mission is to serve and protect the City of Easton by providing the highest quality police services that are responsive to the needs of the community. We will contribute to the safety and security of the community by developing partnerships with the community, while ensuring that our police services are fair, unbiased, judicious, and respectful of the dignity of all individuals.

Organizational Values

The Easton Police Department has made the following commitments:

To enforce the laws and ordinances in an ethical, impartial courteous, and professional manner with respect for the rights of all people.
To display the highest degree of honor and integrity to earn and maintain the respect and confidence of the public, our superiors, peers, and subordinates, and other criminal justice and government agencies.
To provide friendly and courteous service by striving to improve communications and relationships with the public and at all times seeking improvement in the quality and image of public service.
To support a diverse organizational culture of mutual trust and respect, and strive to achieve our highest potential through the active involvement of our personnel in problem solving and improvement of police services.
To develop community partnerships by soliciting and supporting participation of all members of the community in facilitating solutions to problems of mutual concern.
To promote and encourage a policy of professional and individual excellence through continuing education and training, continuous and objective evaluation of our own performance, and being receptive to new ideas and constructive changes.
For any law enforcement agency to be successful in meeting its responsibilities, it is vitally important to obtain the respect and confidence of the people. Such desirable attitudes can be cultivated only by the efforts of each member of the department through their daily contact with the public. The principles set forth in the Code of Conduct are predicated upon the pronouncements found in the Easton Police Oath of Honor:

"On my honor I will never betray my badge, my integrity, my character, or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions. I will always uphold the Constitution and community I serve, so help me God."

Police Officers are bound by the following Oath of Office, administered to them by the City Clerk:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm), that I will support, obey, and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth, and that I will enforce the laws of this Commonwealth and the Ordinances of Easton, and that I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity. I do further swear (or affirm), that I will uphold, obey, and enforce the law without consideration to a person's race, color, sex, religious creed, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, handicap, or disability. I do further swear (or affirm), that I do not advocate, nor am I knowingly a member of any organization that advocates the overthrow of the Government of the United States of America or of this Commonwealth, by force or violence to deny other persons their rights under the Constitution of the United States or of this Commonwealth. I do further swear ( or affirm), that I will not so advocate, nor will I knowingly become a member of such organization during the period that I am an employee of Easton."

In order to abide by our Oath of Honor and the Oath of Office, each Police Officer of the department must thoroughly familiarize themselves with and obey the Code of Conduct.

Interaction With People

The "Golden Rule" is as applicable today as it has always been. People should be treated the way we and members of our families would like to be treated.

The type of treatment and interaction should not depend on the perceived status of the person, or any other variable that might be considered. We must never infringe upon the basic human rights of any person.

During the course of our employment we interact with many people. They may be colleagues, supervisors, subordinates, male or female, sworn officers or civilian, victims, suspects, people of different races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, sexual orientation, or other numerous distinctions. Each person shall be treated fairly, meaning impartially and honestly, without self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism. They shall be treated equally, meaning in an identical manner as all others, without bias. They shall be treated with respect, decency, and courtesy, giving them the esteem due to any person, in any situation.

It is the policy of the Easton Police Department that any interaction with any person, during the course of our employment, falls within these guidelines.

Significance of Patrol

The Vision and Mission statements of the Easton Police Department clearly articulate the role and function of the Department. In reviewing the varied responsibilities of the Department, we must always recognize the dedicated work of the Patrol Officer - the foundation of the Department.

Police Officers on patrol are the most visible element of the Department and, therefore, present the most prominent image to the public. While all personnel have important and necessary roles to play, officers on patrol perform a special function in that they are responsible for virtually all incidents, whether relatively minor or life threatening.

The patrol function is also viewed as the base around which all other organizational units operate. As such, all other entities of the Easton Police Department have a responsibility to assist the Patrol Officer.

The Administration of the Easton Police Department has recognized, and acknowledges the role of the Patrol Officer as the vital mainstay of our agency, and affirms the commitment of continuous support of this elite group.