"The primary responsibility of this Department and each of its members is to protect the lives of the citizens we are sworn to serve. It is also the duty of each member of the Department to honor the established principles of democracy upon which this country was founded. Among these is the most profound reverence for human life, the value of which far exceeds that of any property..... In recognition, therefore, of the commitment of this Department to the preservation of human life, and because of the public trust which empowers sworn police officers to lawfully exercise force, even deadly force when required, in carrying out that commitment, it is hereby declared to be the policy of this Department that; (1) the use of deadly force shall never be condoned as a routine response, and (2) police officers shall exercise the highest degree of care in the... More >>>