Mission and Values

The Clinton Township Police Department Mission Statement

The Clinton Township Police Department was established in 1962 in response to the needs of a growing community; A community faced with many new challenges that required enforcement of state laws, local ordinances, and service to the community.

Once established, the Department developed standards of conduct which have become the core principles of our Mission Statement:

  • To embrace the community with a Spirit of Trust through a moral foundation of integrity, a code of ethics, a philosophy of being the community’s helping hand.
  • To provide the community with the highest standard of quality of life by protecting the Fundamental Rights enjoyed by all.
  • To procure and solicit public trust by achieving a balance between law enforcement and the diverse needs of the community and individuals.
  • To acknowledge and respect the individual rights and needs of all persons and families in a community of cultural diversity who deserve our respect and their dignity.
  • To provide a channel of open communication between the Department and the community, which we the agency are sworn to protect and serve.
  • To promote an awareness of community needs in order to meet future changes. To preserve the peace through effective law enforcement, conflict resolution, and community policing.

Respecting and Preserving the Human Rights granted to all people under the Constitution of the United States and The State Constitution of New Jersey.

The Clinton Township police department value statements

  • Human Life – We value human life and dignity above all else and hold the preservation of life as our sacred duty.
  • Integrity – We believe that organizational and personal integrity is the basis for community trust and departmental success and we shall diligently pursue truth, honesty, and justice.
  • The Rule of Law – We believe in the principles embodied in our Federal and State Constitutions and recognize the authority of Federal, State, and local laws. We recognize that our basic responsibility is to enforce the law for the general good, while respecting the rights and dignity of each individual regardless of race, creed, color, gender, or handicap. We will use only that amount of force necessary to enforce the laws. Our role is to resolve problems through the law, not to judge and punish.
  • Accountability – We are accountable to each other and to the citizens we serve, such citizens being the source of our authority. We do not tolerate the abuse of our police authority.
  • Excellence – We strive for personal and professional excellence. We encourage and support our members to achieve the highest professional and ethical standards and quality of service to the public. We aim for continuous improvement.
  • Cooperation – We believe that cooperation and teamwork will enable us to combine our diverse backgrounds, skills, and styles to achieve common goals.
  • Problem Solving – We are most effective when we help identify and solve community problems. We view the people of our community as partners who deserve our concern, care, and attention. We are committed to reducing the fear of crime in our community and we endeavor to accomplish this by creating partnerships in our community.
  • Loyalty – We value personal commitment and loyalty as essential to the best interest of public safety and professional law enforcement. Loyalty is the foundation upon which trust is built both within our department as well as with the community we serve.
  • Dignity – We recognize that our personal conduct, both on and off duty, is inseparable from the professional reputation of both the officer and the department.
  • Courage – We realize that both physical and moral courage are essential if we are to “live” the values we believe in.