It is the policy of the Holly Hill Police Department to patrol in a proactive manner, to aggressively investigate suspicious persons and circumstances, and to actively enforce the motor vehicle laws, while insisting that citizens will only be stopped or detained when there exists reasonable suspicion to believe they have committed, are committing, or are about to commit a violation of the law.
All citizens have a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States to equal protection under the law. Along with this right to equal protection is the fundamental right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures by government agents. Citizens are free to walk and drive our streets, highways, and other public places without police interference so long as they obey the law. They also are entitled to be free from crime, and from the depredations of criminals, and to drive and walk our public ways safe from the actions of careless and reckless drivers.
This law enforcement agency is charged with protecting these rights, for all, regardless of race, color, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, physical handicap, religion or other belief system.
Because of the nature of their business, law enforcement officers are required to be observant, to identify unusual occurrences and law violations, and to act upon them. It is this proactive enforcement that keeps our citizens free from crime, our streets and highways safe to drive upon, and that detects and apprehends criminals.
It is the Holly Hill Police Department's policy to train its officers in accomplishing its mission in a way that respects the dignity of all persons and yet sends a strong deterrent message to actual and potential lawbreakers that if they break the law, - they are likely to encounter the police.
All police personnel should make every effort to educate the public through personal contacts, good public relations, and all other means available to promote public awareness of this mission.
The detention, interdiction, or other disparate treatment of any person on the basis of their racial, ethnic, gender, religion, physical handicap or sexual orientation status or characteristics will not be tolerated.