Do you want a sure fire way to generate positive buzz about your mission statement? What about your vision and values? Can your employees articulate these important statements and words?

Assailing through the ranks in my previous agency, I remember vividly that employees generally didn’t have a clue what the agency’s mission, vision, and values were. Officers didn’t even look at these principles unless they were studying for a promotion exam. There were a lot of reasons why.

First, the mission statement was too long. There were too many values to commit to memory. Secondly, leadership didn’t put much emphasis on the importance of these guiding principles in their everyday application. Sure, they appeared in the front of corporate publications, but they were never front and center on how the organization operated.

A committee was formed to fix these issues. Getting buy-in from across the agency ensured that refreshed content would be widely accepted. Our committee, one that I chaired, was able to streamline the mission and values. Our vision statement, “service before self, honor above all,” was a rallying call that could be accomplished, regardless of assignment or sworn status. To further reinforce the revised guiding principles, our department created sunglass cloths and other swag material to permeate messaging throughout the agency.

When I was appointed to chief of police, we took the same approach to streamline our mission, vision, and values. Once the organization provided input, we created signage that is displayed in prominent areas of the department – our public lobby, hallway, and briefing room. A small investment into professional signage goes a long way to remind employees and the public of our commitment and dedication. One modification I added to our plaque was a reminder of the significance of our patch, badge, and an employee’s name tag. This is part of the social contract when officers raise their right hand to take an oath to serve and protect. 

Ask yourself, are employees in your agency knowledgeable on what’s important to your agency’s brand and identity? If not, it’s an easy lift to review and organize a concerted effort to elevate these important aspects that reflect the nobility of policing.