Lancaster Sheriff's Office

Mission Statement

This office constitutes an organization whose every existence is justified solely on the basis of community service. Although official regulations provide a working pattern, our official activity must not be confined within the limited orbit described by them. Actually, that portion of police service dealing with real criminals is only a small part of our overall responsibility. The greater percentage of our time and energy is expended on non-criminal service functions and dealing with law-abiding citizens of the community. We should consider it our duty and privilege, not only to protect our citizens from the criminal, but also to protect and defend the rights guaranteed under our structure of government. It may be said that matters of civil law are not a basic police responsibility and within reasonable limits, we should attempt to avoid being entangled in them. However, many situations can best be served only when we assist in such matters. Our broad philosophy must embrace a wholehearted determination to protect and support individual rights while at all times providing for the security of persons, and property in the community. In meeting this objective, it is our duty to operate as a public service organization. A society free from crime and disorder is an unachieved ideal, nevertheless, consistent with the values of society, it is the primary objective of this office role to enforce the law in a fair and impartial manner, recognizing both the statutory and judicial limitations of police authority and the constitutional rights of all persons. It is not the role of this office to legislate, render legal judgments, or to punish.