Mission Statement, General Information, and History of the the Greenwich Police Department

Mission Statement and Core Values

Mission Statement

The Greenwich Police Department, acting without fear or favor, will strive to provide superior law enforcement and public services in cooperation with its community. The Department will actively promote an environment that encourages independent judgment and allows its employees to attain the highest levels of professional achievement.

Core Values

Service – We recognize that our chosen profession requires us to put the public's welfare, our peers and subordinates, and the organization before ourselves.

Respect – We value all persons; recognize that our diversity strengthens us and celebrates it; remember our past and the sacrifices others made on our behalf; and willfully subjugate ourselves to the rule of law.

Courage – We will always face difficult situations with confidence, determination, and bravery. We shall never shrink from the responsibility to do what is right because of physical fear, lack of will, or mental trepidation.

Fairness – We must always act just, ethically, equitably, honestly, and transparently, never displaying favoritism or allowing prejudice or undue influence to color our professional decisions.

Diligence – We will selflessly apply ourselves in duty to the community and devotion to each other with persistent industry and steadfast vigor.

Public Information

The Greenwich Police Department is located within the Town of Greenwich Public Safety Complex at 11 Bruce Place. The Department has 152 sworn Officers assigned to three Divisions; Patrol, Detective, and Support Services. The Department has full-time Marine, Motorcycle, Forensics, Narcotics, Special Victims, K-9, Community Impact, and IT Sections. The Command Structure consists of the Chief of Police, two Deputy Chiefs, three Captains, seven Lieutenants, and twenty-three Sergeants. There also are appointed, non-supervisory, Master Police Officer, Detective First Grade, Detective, and School Resource Officer positions. The Department offers many public safety services and shares a strong relationship with the community.

The Greenwich Police Department is under the responsibility of the First Selectman in his role as Police Commissioner. Operational leadership and direction lie with the Chief of Police, who is charged with the protection of life and property, the preservation of public peace, the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders, and the enforcement of state and local laws and ordinances, as well as a myriad of calls for service that the Police Department handles daily. In the fiscal year 2021 to 2022, the Greenwich Police responded to 41,000 calls for service.

The Police Department continues to present its unmatched level of service as a law enforcer and a community service provider. Our crime clearance rates are above the national averages (in almost every instance - well above) in all mandatory Uniform Crime Report categories.

Emergency Operations Center

The Town’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is housed in the Police Department, supporting a unified command response by all the Town of Greenwich departments. Several exercises have been conducted to prepare the community’s leadership in a disaster, and the EOC has been utilized for several actual weather-related responses.

Public Meetings

The Police Department continues to serve the entire municipality by hosting meetings within our Public Safety Complex for various public and private groups. This greater access has further demystified the Police Department and its members to the public while furthering our community policing initiatives and public/private partnerships.

History of the Greenwich Police - Over 125 Years of Service to the Community

Click on the image above to watch a video detailing the history of the Greenwich Police Department.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Greenwich citizens relied on the services of state marshals and constables and county sheriffs. They were primarily charged with serving warrants, keeping the streets clear of obstructions, and enforcing all ordinances. Towards the latter part of the 19th century, the first paid position of a night "patrol man" was created to check on stores along Greenwich Avenue. In 1906, the Greenwich Police Department was officially organized as the police force for the entire Town of Greenwich.

As the needs of the community grew in the 20th century, so did the responsibilities of the police and, necessarily, the number of officers. In 1950, 69 active officers served the town of 40,835 people. In 2023, 152 active officers and 29 special officers serve the 63,000 residents of Greenwich.

Chief William Rich, First Chief of Police

Today, the Greenwich Police Department's jurisdiction covers 47.8 square miles of land and 32 miles of coastline. In addition, four main arteries pass through Greenwich—I-95, the Merritt Parkway, U.S. 1, and Metro-North Railroad. Along these roads and waters pass ordinary citizens, hazardous materials, and illegal goods. Only the portion of U.S. 1 and the 32 miles of coastline falling within the Greenwich town lines are controlled by the Greenwich Police Department, but the officers are the first responders for calls on I-95 and the Merritt Parkway.

Image Greenwich Officers circa 1910

The Greenwich Police Department today meets the growing needs of the town and changing demographic. Most of the officers have a four-year college degree as well as many officers have additional graduate degrees. The Department works closely with the other departments of the Town of Greenwich, emergency responder departments, federal agencies, and other organizations whose missions reflect various aspects of public safety and service.

While the Greenwich Police Department continues to enforce law and order, there is an increasing focus on community needs, disaster response coordination, response to calls involving individuals with special needs or mental crises, and domestic terrorism prevention.