Our Mission

Posted by Steve Roos in on 11:40 AM

The first time I eyed the Grand Teton, my quick assessment from the east showed the logic of climbing it via Disappointment Peak.  Guess what?  There’s a reason it’s called Disappointment Peak.  Legend has it that it got its name when a couple climbers made an attempt on the Grand Teton only to find themselves on a false summit, facing a 450-foot sheer drop.  Aside from a really long rope, the only solution is to backtrack thousands of vertical feet and essentially start over.

Have you ever climbed the wrong mountain – metaphorically speaking – such as wasting a lot of time and money on things that have no lasting value?   I’ve been on top of both the Grand Teton and Disappointment Peak but never on the same day.  I’ve also climbed my share of metaphorical “Disappointment Peaks”.

It seems like law enforcement is pulled a thousand different directions, which sometimes leads to climbing the wrong mountain.  Over the years, I’ve watched different police agencies branch into areas that I thought were a bit of a reach.

To keep us on track at the IFPD, we have a Vision and a Mission Statement.  It is a brief description of our core purpose and answers the question, “Why do we exist?”  Everything we do should point to our mission.  From a practical perspective, it helps keep us all on the same page.  It is the basis for strategic planning and very importantly, it acts as a measuring stick against which I apply my decisions.

Vision
A community safe from crime and disorder

Mission
We work with our fellow citizens to create a community safe from crime and disorder, and enforce the law in a manner faithful to the constitution of the United States of America.