Trinidad Police Department looks to rebuild trust

By Michael V. Hannigan/HCNow

“The mission of the Trinidad Police Department is to provide highest quality service that promotes and maintains a safe environment in partnership with the community. Our service delivery emphasizes honesty, fairness, and integrity.”

That is the mission statement for Trinidad PD, straight from the manual. I know because Chief Chris Simmons handed the quote to me himself during a meeting with local reporters Wednesday morning.

Simmons has led the department since June of this year and knows the area well because this is his second stint at TPD. He originally patrolled the city’s streets from 2002 to 2006 under then Chief Steve Higgins.

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Listen to Police Chief Chris Simmons in his own words.

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But things then were better than the situation he found in June. Just two months before, the department’s two full-time officers resigned effectively shutting down the department. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office had to take over patrolling Trinidad.

Now, Simmons wants to let the community know that things are back to normal.

“We’re back. We want our community to know that we’re here for them. If they have problems, feel free to come in and see us and talk to us,” he said.

He also knows he has to rebuild a bond that was broken.

“We want our citizens in Trinidad to trust our department. I know that over the course of several years that trust was lost, and that’s what we’re here to do is get it back,” Simmons said. “The main thing I want everybody to know is that we are going to be fair. We are going to enforce state law as evenly across the board as seems possible.”

He emphasized the department’s core values:

• Integrity: The Trinidad Police Department is built upon a foundation of ethical and professional conduct. We are committed to the highest level of moral principles and ethics. All members of the department will adhere to the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics, which is part of this manual.
• Honesty: We will be truthful and trustworthy at all times.
• Fairness: We are committed to equal application of the law to offenders and members of the public as well as the equal application of rules and regulations to all members of the department.
• Courage: We are dedicated to meeting all challenges with the courage needed to accomplish our mission.
• Compassion: We understand our role as community caretakers, and temper our application of the law with compassion and empathy.

Simmons said everyone is now on the same page moving forward.

“Our City Council is working extremely hard to improve all aspects of the city,” he said. “Our City Council fully supports the police department and we fully support the City Council.”

Simmons can be reached at the Trinidad Police Department office at 903-778-2113.