ABERDEEN, S.D.(Press Release)- In response to the statement made by Sheriff Dave Lunzman on Tuesday morning at the Brown County Commission meeting, I want to emphasize the Aberdeen Police Department’s unwavering commitment to public safety and the citizens of Aberdeen and Brown County.

The top priority of each and every member of the APD, each and every day, is to ensure the well-being of the community we serve. We believe in fostering a strong collaboration and partnership with the BCSO to enhance the overall safety and security of our citizens.

We consider the BCSO our partner agency and are committed to assisting them in any way possible. We have provided, and will continue to provide, the BCSO with resources, training, and our staff to assist them. Our commitment to the BCSO has been unwavering in the past and will remain just as strong in the future. We strive to maintain clear communication and a cooperative spirit in fulfilling the needs of each agency. My officers and the Sheriff’s deputies work incredibly well together and depend on one another to protect and serve their neighbors and to help get each other home safely to their families at shift’s end. Moving forward, there has not been, nor will there be in the future any time where the APD will not help the BCSO.

Our commitment to all those we serve and to our partner agency can be best described in the APD’s mission statement:

MISSION STATEMENT:

Our mission is to serve the community of Aberdeen in a collaborative effort to enhance the quality of life through crime prevention, enforcement of laws, promotion of safety, and reduction of fear.

THE ABERDEEN POLICE DEPARTMENT’S VALUES AND PRINCIPLES:

Honesty and Integrity: We will model a high standard of honesty and integrity in our personal and professional lives.

Fairness: We will assure fair and impartial treatment of all individuals in the department and in the community we serve.

Competence: Through continuous improvement, we will set a standard of excellence for delivery of law enforcement services in our community.

Trust: We will enhance trust, teamwork, and communication by cooperating with each other and the community.

Respect: We will treat everyone with dignity and respect and protect the constitutional rights of all citizens.

I have worked with Dave Lunzman for more than 30 years. I consider him a good person and a friend. Moving forward, I recognize and share Dave Luzman’s frustrations but on a different level and with specific concerns. I look forward to working with him in the future to resolve these issues and to resolve conflict.

I want to assure the community and Sheriff Lunzman, that we are fully committed to serving and protecting the community and are dedicated in working with the BCSO to the best of our abilities. The community and the BCSO will receive the fullest extent of our professional efforts.