Mission Statement, Code of Ethics, Value Statement

Mission Statement

The primary mission of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies within Jefferson County and their efforts within the community to preserve the public peace, protect the rights of persons and property, prevent crime, and generally provide assistance to citizens in urgent situations. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the collection of county taxes, security of the courts, the service of legal process and orders of the court, enforcement of Federal Laws, and Kentucky Revised Statutes within the boundaries of Jefferson County.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office must enforce the law in a fair and impartial manner, recognizing both the statutory and judicial limitations of Sheriff’s authority and the constitutional rights of all persons. It is not the role of the office to legislate, render legal judgments, or punish.

Code of Ethics

As a Sheriff, I recognize that I am given a special trust and confidence by the citizens I serve. This trust and confidence is my bond to ensure that I shall behave and act according to the highest personal and professional principles. In furtherance of this pledge, I will abide by the following Code of Ethics:

I SHALL ENSURE that my employees and I, in the performance of our duties, will enforce and administer the law according to the principles of the United States Constitution and applicable laws of our state so that equal protection of the law and due process are guaranteed to everyone. To that end, my employees and I shall not permit personal opinions, bias, prejudice, party affiliations, or consideration of the status of others to alter or lessen these principles.

I SHALL ESTABLISH, PROMULGATE, AND ENFORCE standards of behavior for my employees consistent with the responsibilities, duties, obligations, and functions of my office as Sheriff.

I SHALL NOT TOLERATE, NOR CONDONE, brutal, cruel or inhumane treatment of others by my employees, nor by inmates in my care and custody.

I SHALL ADHERE, at all times, to the standards and principles of honesty and integrity, and I shall keep my private and political life unsullied as an example to all.

I SHALL FOLLOW SOUND principles of efficient and effective administration and management as the primary criteria for my judgments and decisions in the allocation of resources and services in fulfilling the responsibilities, duties obligations and functions of my office as sheriff.

I SHALL ENDEAVOR to recruit, hire, and promote only those persons who are the very best candidates for a position according to standards of objectivity and merit.

I SHALL ENSURE that all employees are appropriately trained and supervised to enhance the performance of their duties so that competent and excellent service is provided by the office of Sheriff.

I SHALL ENSURE that, during my tenure, I shall not use the office of Sheriff for personal gain or self-aggrandizement, and in all things well and truly behave myself in office according to the best of my skill and power.

I ACCEPT AND WILL ADHERE TO THIS CODE OF ETHICS. In doing so, I also accept responsibility for encouraging others in my profession to abide by this code.

Value Statement

Human Life:
We value life and dignity above all else. Therefore:
We give first priority to situations that threaten life.
We use force only when necessary.
We treat all persons with courtesy and respect.
We are compassionate and caring.


Integrity:
We believe integrity is the basis of community trust. Therefore:
We are honest and truthful.
We are consistent in our beliefs and actions.
We hold ourselves to high standards of moral and ethical conduct.
We are role models for the community.


Excellence:
We strive for personal and professional excellence. Therefore:
We do our best.
We seek adequate resources in staffing, facilities, equipment, training, salaries, and benefits.
We recruit and hire the best people.
We are receptive to new ideas, to change.
We meet state-recognized law enforcement standards. We lead by example.
We work toward realistic, mutually-agreed-upon goals.


Cooperation:
We believe that cooperation and team work will enable us to combine our diverse backgrounds, skills and styles to achieve common goals. Therefore:
We work as a team.
We strive to understand those who disagree with us.
We seek the help and cooperation of others.
We seek to resolve conflicts.
We rely on community support and involvement.
We share our responsibility to serve the citizens of Jefferson County with many other agencies and organizations.