Springfield Police Department 2023-2025 Goals and Objectives

by Chief Paul Williams

Springfield, MO—As a means of guiding and directing our activities, the Springfield Police Department (SPD) undertakes the process of creating a strategic plan every three years. This strategic plan for the Springfield Police Department is referred to as Goals and Objectives.

Previous 3-year plan are available on the SPD website. The plan is drafted by the SPD Leadership Council. The Leadership Council is made up of a broad representation of the department including officers and civilians from all ranks and areas. During the development of the 2023-2025 Goals and Objectives. The Leadership Council sought and incorporated input from Springfield City Council, the City Manager’s office and the

Chief’s Citizen’s Advisory Group. This ensured that the final plan would include thoughts, ideas and direction from all aspects of the community. The 2023-2025 SPD Goals and Objectives includes eight main categories:

1) Crime Reduction

2) Leadership and Communication

3) Staffing

4) Facilities, Technology, and Equipment

5) Career Development

6) Health and Wellness

7) Community Engagement

8) Commitment to the International Association of the Chiefs of Police (IACP) 25 Key Policies and Promising Practices

Crime reduction is, and has been, the number one priority for SPD.

This goal includes a focus on violent crime involving firearms, methods for impacting overall crime, and working to address the issue of mental health. Other highlights from the plan include improving internal department communication, increasing staffing levels (for officers and professional staff) by following the established recruiting plan, identifying and obtaining new technology and equipment to assist with crime reduction and patrol activities, a continued focus on employee wellness, and supporting participation on and off duty in the community by department personnel. The final category speaks to the Trust Building Campaign established by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). The Springfield Police Department was one of the first agencies to pledge to imple- ment all 25 policies and practices to enhance trust between the department and the community.

The SPD Goals and Objectives identify the person or group primarily responsible for seeking to accomplish each objective and list specific performance measures to use to determine the success of those efforts. The Goals and Objectives are evaluated on an annual basis and a detailed update is completed at year’s end. The updates are made available for review by the public on the SPD website.

If you are interested in more details about what your police department is focusing on in the next three years, you can find the 2023-2025 SPD Goals and Objectives on our website https://www.springfieldmo. gov/5631/Police