8355-R5_ML&P_BuxtonAnnualReport_2021-2022_Web

Buxton Police Department Annual Report January 2022 – December 2022 Interim Chief Kevin R. Collins

MISSION STATEMENT

“The mission of the Buxton Police Department is to uphold the law fairly and firmly: to reduce crime; to pursue and bring to justice those who break the law; to protect, help and reassure the community: and to be seen to do all this with integrity, common sense, sound judgment, teamwork, and respect. We must be compassionate, courteous, and patient, acting without fear, favor, or prejudice to the rights of others while applying intelligent use of discretion of the law. We need to be professional, calm, and restrained in the face of violence and apply only that force which is necessary to accomplish our lawful duty. We must strive to reduce the fears of the public and so far, as we can, to reflect their priorities in the action we take. It is also our mission to strengthen public confidence in the organization, develop and maintain positive relationships with the community and promote the concept of teamwork for the benefit of all, while at the same time promoting a safe and friendly community through proactive enforcement and education. We must respond to well-founded criticism with willingness for change in response to the changing needs of our community.”

A message from Interim Chief Kevin Collins: 2022 was the start of fully regaining normalcy since the COVID pandemic challenges hit our country.

This year the department hired some experienced officers, who will help guide our newly graduated patrol officers. While many agencies continue to have challenges hiring qualified staff, we have been fortunate to attract a knowledgeable group of men and women this year. We spent 2022 focusing on retaining a great team and working on our department’s training. We also focused on some essential upgrades to our systems and equipment, to better serve the public and to better protect our officers while performing their duties. We are excited to start 2023 with these much-needed upgrades that have been afforded to the department, and the integration of these upgrades into our daily routines. The process of accreditation, which involves an in-depth look at all the department’s policies and procedures to ensure they meet the best practices in law enforcement to date, is still in the process of completion. As policies are reviewed and implemented, a rigorous training program is put in place to make sure staff are well trained and following these best practices. With a project this large, it is expected to have a longer implementation process than some other projects we have under way. Every year Buxton has seen an increase in population and higher traffic volumes. This increased activity has caused a significant rise in Calls for Service, as you will see in this year’s report. We, the men and women of the Buxton Police Department, present the 2022 Annual report, as our commitment to transparency and accountability as we strive to protect and serve the Buxton community with integrity and professionalism.

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Interim Chief Kevin R. Collins Executive Assistant Fausto Costa Detective Paul Shaw Court Officer/TAC/Records Aubrey Pennell Evidence Tech Daryen Granata Chaplain Charles Reed

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