About Our Department

Police personnel are generally the most visible and readily accessible representatives of local government. We respond to calls for assistance of a diversified nature and are expected to resolve a wide variety of community problems as they occur. As with any granting authority, there comes an accompanying responsibility. For police professionals, it involves, at a minimum, the adherence to law and the fair and impartial exercise of such authority. Our personnel are taught that the ethical performance of their duties is essential to ensure Departmental integrity as well as support and confidence. _{(Ref: Directive No. 13-01 c. 1 §1, source credit: Rule No. 2).}

The Holland Police Department is dedicated to providing quality services to residents and the community while striving to continually improve services and the level of protection offered. An important responsibility of the Department is to provide the community with information pertaining to public safety and crime prevention while seeking information from them to assist us with criminal investigations. Information sharing between law enforcement personnel and the community is vital to safety, crime prevention, and solving crimes.

Our Operation, Values, and Philosophy:

We model our practice on the community policing philosophy and continuously seek to integrate personnel into the community in order to reduce crime and foster positive relations. To effectively control and prevent crime, we strive for cooperation and seek recommendations from all of our citizens. The perceptions and opinions of the people that we serve are important to our overall operation, so as a community, we can all work together to improve.

Personnel working in smaller agencies must be prepared for the same challenges and situations as their colleagues in larger organizations. In addition, their response to these situations is held to the same legal and professional standards as larger communities. Officers in smaller agencies often see cases through from start to finish. Because of this, they are provided more latitude to perform their jobs and are not locked into the same routine every day, allowing for more growth, job enhancement, and satisfaction. Therefore, the policies, rules, and regulations for smaller agencies must be as thorough and complete as those of their larger counterparts, despite the difference in size. _{(Ref: Directive No. 13-01 c. 3 §1, source credit:  IACP Best Practices Guide, retrieved 15AUG2025).}

We utilize a system of directives in the form of written and oral commands, orders, and other communications that is the source of all Department operations. When properly developed and implemented, those instructions provide personnel with the information to act decisively, consistently, and legally. Our directives are arranged in concert with the values, philosophies, and mission of the Department. _{(See: Directive No. 13-01 c. 1 §2, source credit: Rule No. 1).}

Ranks and Chain of Command:

The Ranks of a Police Department reflect the paramilitary nature of the organization. The executive head of the Department is the Chief of Police, and the subsequent ranks provide a structure for the various levels of authority and responsibilities throughout the Organization. Pursuant to §97A of c. 41 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth, the Chief shall make suitable regulations governing the Department and the Officers thereof. The Chief shall be in immediate control of all Town property used by the Department, and of the Police Officers, whom he shall assign to their respective duties and who shall obey his orders. _{(See: Directive No. 13-01 Authority to Regulate).}

Essentially, the Ranks define the hierarchy of the organization from top to bottom, reporting relationships, and the chain of command. This process establishes accountability, decision-making power, and outlines how authority and responsibilities are disseminated throughout the Department. The chain of command is a clear and unbroken line of authority that ultimately links each individual with the top organizational position through a managerial position at each successive layer in between. _{(See: Directive No. 13-01 c. 2 §1).}

A chain of command ensures that every employee, task, position, and function has one person assuming responsibility for performance. The concept of the chain of command is based on the Scalar Principle, in which the manager at the highest level has the most decision-making power. Employing this management theory enables the most well-defined superior-to-subordinate relationship and establishes a system for who must answer to whom. _{(See: Directive No. 13-01 c. 2 §2).}

If you wish to contact the Chief, please feel free to email at any time.

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