A Message From Chief Jeffrey Balon

Recently, there have been requests for my comment regarding the use of force incident by police that has gained national attention.  I want to assure all citizens in Valparaiso, that the Valparaiso Police Department administration will not tolerate excessive use of force by our police officers.  Our officers receive de-escalation, and implicit-bias training.  Each use of force incident must be documented and reviewed by police administration, and we have policies in place that forbid excessive use of force by our officers.  To assist with transparency, our officers are equipped with body worn cameras, and they activate the device prior to a call for service.

The Valparaiso Police Department focuses on transparency, training, and hiring good people.  It is also very important the Valparaiso Police Department administration sets the culture of the department, and insures officers have a clear and precise understanding of our expectations.

Diversity, inclusion and community engagement has always been important between police and all citizens, but now more than ever.  It is important to us that no group or individual feel targeted or excluded.  Our officers work diligently to assure all citizens are provided professional and responsive service. 

We are very proud of every officer and have no doubt they do their best every day.

Sincerely,

Chief Jeffrey Balon

Alert sent on 05/29/2020 at 3:40PM EDT

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