Mission & Vision

• The District hires and trains according to the same standards as the County Sheriff and city police departments.
• Service quality is enhanced by law enforcement officers who choose to work in parks as a career.

Effective Community-Centered Public Safety

Our commitment to effective community-centered public safety involves not only patrolling the parks and investigating crimes, but also:

• Planning for law enforcement services that embrace the goals of the District and
  the needs of the public.
• Safety reports of all District properties to identify and repair hazards to employees
  and the public.
• Developing and maintaining emergency operations plans.
• Conducting site-specific crime prevention programs for visitors and employees.

Resource Protection

Our commitment to resource protection requires enforcing park codes, state fish and wildlife laws and administering District fishing and boating permits as part of an integrated program that includes:

• Understanding threats to natural resources and reporting resource damage that indicates an underlying or emerging problem.
• Using educational backgrounds, experience and training in both law enforcement and natural resources in planning development of park lands and facilities to help assure an appropriate balance between usage and resource conservation.
• Monitoring and reporting on conditions that affect park resources or public use, such as creek checks that may result in changes to fishing regulations or stockings of species.

Visitor Services

Our commitment to visitor services ranges from explaining where and why the fish are biting to responding to questions about park codes, and regularly includes:

• Responding with specific information to visitor inquiries about District facilities, events, recreation programs and class offerings, and whom to contact to participate.
• Solving problems for park visitors, which may mean resolving a shelter reservation conflict or using knowledge of the area and past experience to reunite lost parents with children.
• Facilitating entry into buildings and facilities for groups and individuals by prearrangement or on call.

Cultural & Environmental Education & Outdoor Recreation Opportunities

Our commitment to cultural and environmental education and outdoor recreation opportunities compliments our law enforcement responsibilities and includes:

• Increasing appreciation of natural and cultural resources in Johnson County by providing opportunities for people to learn or participate in a variety of outdoor activities.
• Researching and developing new educational programs offered to school groups and the general public.
• Planning, organizing and leading trips for the public such as birding trips to the Konza Prairie, see sandhill cranes in Nebraska or watch majestic eagle at Eagle Days at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge.
• Creating displays and exhibits for the Ernie Miller Nature Center, presenting outdoor amphitheater programs during summer evenings or brief talks to groups such as scouts at campgrounds or groups at park shelters. We are proud of over fifty years of excellent law enforcement and park visitor services provided to Johnson County citizens and District patrons. We are dedicated to preserving that tradition in the future.

JCPRD Park Police Vision

Our vision is to continuously seek excellence in law enforcement and interpretation to protect people and resources.