City of Columbia City

1840 Second Street, PO Box 189, Columbia City, OR 97018  (503) 397-4010

About Columbia City

Agendas

City Charter & Ordinances

City Departments

City Government

Employment Opportunities

Meeting Calendar

Meeting Minutes

Newsletters

 

 

Council Bill No. __________

 

RESOLUTION NO. __________

 

        A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A PUBLIC POLICY RELATIVE TO THE PROVISION OF POLICE SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF COLUMBIA CITY, OREGON.

 

        BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBIA CITY, OREGON.

 

        WHEREAS, the City Council for the City of Columbia City conducted a workshop on September 9, 2008, for the purpose of developing the elements of a public policy statement regarding the provision of policing services for Columbia City; and,

 

        WHEREAS, during the workshop the City Council worked on the development of philosophical statements of policing principles and defined the organizational personality of what the community expects in the Police Department and its members.

 

        NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council adopts the following philosophical statements of policing principles for the City of Columbia City:

 

CITY OF COLUMBIA CITY POLICING PRINCIPALS:

 

        1.     To prevent crime and disorder as an alternative to reactive apprehension of offenders and the severity of legal punishments.

 

        2.     To recognize always that the power of the police to fulfill their functions and duties is dependent on public approval of their existence, actions and behavior, and on their ability to secure and maintain public respect.

 

        3.     To recognize always that to achieve and maintain the respect and approval of the public means also acquiring the willing cooperation of the public in the task of voluntary compliance in the observance of laws.

 

        4.     To recognize always that the extent to which the cooperation of the public can be secured diminishes, proportionately, the necessity of the use of physical force and compulsion for achieving police objectives.

 

        5,     To seek and to preserve public favor, not be pandering to public opinion, but by constantly demonstrating absolutely impartial service to law, in complete independence of politics and without regard to the justice or injustices of the substance of individual laws; by ready offering of individual service and friendship to all members of the public without regard to their wealth or social standing; by ready offering of sacrifice in protecting and preserving life.

 

        6.     To use physical force only when the exercise of persuasion, advise, and warning is found to be insufficient to obtain public cooperation to an extent necessary to secure observance of law or to restore order; and to use only the minimum degree of physical force which is necessary on any particular occasion for achieving a police objective.

 

        7.     To maintain at all times a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and that the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen, in the interests of community welfare and existence.

 

        8.     To recognize always the need for strict adherence to police executive functions, and to refrain from even seeming to usurp the powers of the judiciary or avenging individuals or the state, and of authoritatively judging guilt and punishing the guilty.

 

        9.     To recognize always that the test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, and not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with them.

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council hereby formally refines its expectations by characterizing the Columbia City Police Department's personality with the following defining terms:

 

TERMS DEFINING COLUMBIA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT'S CHARACTERISTICS:

 

Ø      Personable

Ø      Professional

Ø      Unquestioned Ethics

Ø      High Integrity

Ø      Absolute Honesty

Ø      Polite

Ø      Customer Service Priority

Ø      High Visibility

Ø      Cautious

Ø      Spirit of the Law

Ø      Equal Treatment

Ø      Schedule Variations

Ø      Good Emergency Response

Ø      Educate Public

o       Crime Prevention

o       Transparency

Ø      Availability

Ø      Accountability

Ø      Follow-Through

Ø      Meet Professional Standards (Best Practices and Accreditation)

Ø      Well Equipped

Ø      Citizens feel safe in their persons and property

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council hereby formally prohibits the following characteristics within the Columbia City Police Department's personality:

 

COLUMBIA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT PROHIBITIONS:

 

Ø      Arrogance

Ø      Abuse of Power