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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1C - Code of Ethics Policy & Procedure Page 1 of 3 Lexington Police Department Subject: Code of Ethics Policy Number: 1C Accreditation Standards: Reference: 1.1.2; 26.1.1 Effective Date: 3/11/13  New  Revised Revision Dates: 1/24/19 By Order of: Mark J. Corr, Chief of Police GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND GUIDELINES All employees of the Lexington Police Department shall abide by a Code of Ethics. Both civilian and sworn members will abide by the principles consistent with this policy, and any and all training that employees receive will be documented in the employee’s training file. The files will be maintained in the Town Clerk’s office. Training will be conducted at least biennially. A statement of employee responsibilities and conduct is a necessity for any police department. Requiring employees to abide by a code or canon of ethics is the first step toward true professionalism in police service. A. Code of Ethics 1. Sworn Personnel: The International Association of Chiefs of Police adopted the following code of ethics. This code of ethics is hereby adopted by the Lexington Police Department for sworn personnel. As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve the community; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the constitutional rights of all to liberty, equality and justice. I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all and will behave in a manner that does not bring discredit to my agency or me. I will maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed in both my personal 1C – Code of Ethics Policy & Procedure Page 2 of 3 and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the law and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret, unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty. I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, political beliefs, aspirations, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and the relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities. I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the police service. I will never engage in acts of corruption of bribery, nor will I condone such acts by other police officers. I will cooperate with all legally authorized agencies and their representatives in the pursuit of justice. I know that I alone am responsible for my own standard of professional performance and will take every reasonable opportunity to enhance and improve my level of knowledge and competence. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession ... law enforcement. 2. Civilian Employees: (Non-Sworn) Civilian employees of the Lexington Police Department are as much a reflection on our department’s reputation as sworn employees, and as such, the department has outlined a Code of Ethics for all civilian employees. Civilian employees are required to abide by this Code of Ethics. I will keep my private life exemplary as an example to all; develop self-restraint and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed in personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of the department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature o r that is confided in me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty. I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions, and I dedicate myself to our department’s vision, mission and values. 1C – Code of Ethics Policy & Procedure Page 3 of 3 PROCEDURES A. All employees will abide by any and all laws pertaining to ethical behavior including but not limited to M.G.L. Chapter 268A and 268B as amended from time to time. B. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has codified regulations governing the conduct of any public employee as it pertains to political activity (Chapter 55) and conflict of interest (Chapter 268A). The following material is provided by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission. C. Political Activity. 1. Chapter 55 of the General Laws regulates political activity. Appointed, compensated employees may not directly or indirectly solicit contributions, or anything else of value, for campaigns or other political purposes. 2. For more information about political activity, contact the Office of Campaign and Political Finance at (617) 979-8300 or (800)462-OCPF. D. Conflict of Interest Law Chapter 268A of the General Laws governs the conduct as a public official or employee. This pamphlet contains some of the general rules that must be followed. Public employees can face civil and criminal penalties for prohibited actions. There are some exemptions to these rules, so seek free and confidential legal advice from the State Ethics Commission or Lexington’s legal counsel regarding how the law would apply to a particular situation.