Chief's Welcome

Chief Chuck McGinnis, Director of Public Safety

The Highland Park Department of Public Safety is a unique blending of police, fire, and emergency medical services.  A Public Safety Officer is assigned to one of three 48-hour shifts, either “A,” “B,” or “C” shift.  All Public Safety Officers are cross trained in police, fire, and EMS and engage in each of these disciplines every shift on a rotating basis.  It is a demanding profession that requires highly qualified, exceptionally trained, and motivated officers to fulfill the unrelenting requirements of the job.  The Operations staff is supported by an equally motivated Administrations staff, both of which have service in their heart.  All employees for the Highland Park Department of Public Safety work hard each day to deliver the highest level of service and it is instilled through a culture of servant minded employees from the top to the bottom of the organization.

There are two key elements in providing the high levels of service that the Department delivers.  First, it requires quality people with the highest ethical and moral standards who have the desire to be of service to the community. Second, it requires rigorous education and training to be proficient in our jobs.  Only by selecting the best people and providing the best training are we able to provide the best service.  We pride ourselves on continuously striving to improve to be the best we can be for you.  “Hire for character, train for proficiency, and provide unmatched service!”

Community policing lies at the foundation of who we are.  A key aspect of our ability to keep the public safe is the participation of the public itself.  We engage our citizens in making a safer community.  We encourage our officers and employees to interact with citizens and share prevention and safety information on a proactive basis because we recognize the value of community involvement in preventing crime and accidents in the Town.  Through this, we help create a better place to live and work.

Each member of our department is committed to treating people with dignity and respect and “doing the right things for the right reasons.”  We endeavor to make every contact with the public a positive experience, while being trained and capable of handling the situation that may occur on your worst day.

Humbly honored to serve you and with the men and women of this Department,

Chuck McGinnis
Director of Public Safety