Vision Statement

The Elizabeth Police Department is committed to preserving life, protecting property, enforcing the law, and relentlessly fighting crime. We have established core pillars of integrity, empathy, accountability, fairness, respect, and tenacity in order to provide unparallel service to our community.

Integrity

    Integrity through transparency is vital to assess the effectiveness and fairness of interactions between our citizens and the police department. We are confident that police transparency is met by sharing information openly with the public, illustrating workforce recruitment that reflects our diverse community and engaging the public when improving police services.  

Empathy

    The ability to see interactions from another’s perspective and understand the emotions involved plays an important role in policing. We believe that providing our employees with the appropriate training, development, and education is the key to understanding and empathizing with our citizens. Our belief is that practicing a more respectful and empathic way of communicating with our citizens leads to a more professional level of collaboration. 

Accountability

    Creating an accountable police department starts by implementing policies which address standards and ethics. We believe in the individuals that serve our community. As an organization, we pride ourselves in providing the tools that enable our officers to succeed, through the appropriate level of training, development, and education. We have created an early intervention system, a tool, that helps evaluate officer performance and helps identify areas of improvement to establish checks and balances, within our department. 

Fairness

    As an organization, we strive to provide police services equally, fairly, and without discrimination toward any individual or group. It is our goal, that we promote a culture of fairness throughout our neighborhoods and provide the same level of dedication and service to every citizen. 

Respect

    Establishing a police department that values respect begins with the implementation of guidelines that address how we interact with our citizens. We trust our officers to perform their duties correctly and respectfully. We have a strong team of supervisors that are ensuring, through the use of body-worn cameras, that respectful and courteous interactions are at the forefront of every police encounter. 

Tenacity

The unwavering resolve of the organization is to pursue justice, improve the quality of life, and eradicate criminal activity in the City of Elizabeth. We shall continuously strive to fulfill the department's mission through strategic planning, the prudent management of operations, and the solidification of partnerships. 

“Wisdom is knowing the right path to take; Integrity is taking it.” – M.H. McKee