The general operating environment and goal of the City of Sarcoxie is to be the “Best Hometown Possible” The Sarcoxie Police Department is a major contributor to meet this goal as the department’s personnel come in contact with broad and varied members of our population and must set a tone in how they perform their job in a manner consistent with the city government’s desired environment.

Mission Statement
The mission of the Sarcoxie Police Department is to protect life, property, and the individual rights of the citizens, business owners, and visitors of the City of Sarcoxie.

1. Law Enforcement Code of Ethics
All members of the Sarcoxie Police Department are expected to adhere to the nationally published Law Enforcement Code of Ethics.

 

2. Officer Discretion
Officers are given a broad degree of discretion in enforcing laws, with the priority being to maintain peace and order. Officers are expected to resolve problems without always resorting to writing tickets or making arrests.

3. Balanced Public Interaction
Officers are expected to maintain a healthy balance of enforcement and non‑enforcement interactions with the public.

4. Vigilance Toward Repeat Offenders

Officers are expected to be extra vigilant for those who, through repeated illegal conduct, demonstrate a lack of respect for the lawful activities, rights and property of our citizens, business owners and visitors.

5. Purpose of Traffic Enforcement
The Sarcoxie Police Department is under no burden or expectation to generate income through traffic tickets. The sole goal of traffic enforcement is to change unsafe driving behaviors and minimize the risk of traffic accidents and injuries. While never forgetting these goals, there is a point where the number of traffic stops and tickets can be greater than our community can bear without damaging the image of the department or city government. With this in mind:

• Warnings can often be just as impactful as tickets or summons. This is particularly true of citizens with little to no history of traffic violations and young drivers with limited experience.

• We expect police officers to “get to know the locals” before writing minor traffic tickets.

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6. Responsibilities Beyond Traffic Enforcement
There is much more to being a Sarcoxie police officer than traffic enforcement.

• Providing basic lifesaving aid is a mandatory responsibility for all officers. Medical response takes priority over traffic or non‑felony calls unless Sarcoxie Fire or Mercy EMS is already responding.

• Neighborhood patrol, business checks, school checks, and extra‑patrol requests are higher priorities than traffic enforcement.

• Elected officials believe the Broken Window Theory applies to residential neighborhoods. Full‑time officers participate in the City’s structured nuisance and weed enforcement efforts.

 

7. Accountability and Professional Conduct
Police officers are not above the law. Officers are expected to obey all traffic rules and operate vehicles defensively unless lights and sirens are activated. Regardless of emergency status, officers must always drive safely and responsibly.

8. Avoiding Unnecessary Escalation
The burden is on officers to avoid senseless escalation during encounters with the public. Every effort should be made to prevent escalation unless doing so would jeopardize safety.

9. Department Priorities Over Individual Preferences
Department policies and priorities supersede those of individual officers. Inconsistent enforcement can harm the department’s public image and create confusion within the community.

10. Innovation and Flexibility
Officers are encouraged to embrace flexibility and look beyond traditional methods of preventing or detecting criminal behavior, including the use of technology as a force multiplier.