All good things come to an end

I hate clichés, but at times these catchy phrases, idioms or expressions penetrate the mortal soul. As with the seasons of change, the rising or the setting sun, “All good things come to an end.”

I have a couple of somber announcements to make. First comes the retirement of Boulder City Police Department’s most senior peace officer, Sgt. John Chase. John served the Boulder City Police Department for 22 years. John’s character is beyond reproach and he will be missed by all of us. We wish him great success in the next chapter of his life’s endeavors.

Second, I am stepping down as the author of the Boulder City Police Department blotter. I no longer have the vital resources to continue authoring some of the most interesting human experiences in Boulder City.

It’s truly been my honor and pleasure to bridge the gap with the community and Boulder City Police Department for the past two years. There may be a time when life provides me another opportunity to share the wild stories of your police department.

There are few things that truly define the law enforcement profession. Everyone immediately comes up with the rudimentary ones: honesty, integrity, courage, responsibility and accountability. But, law enforcement is so much more than that.

In the early 1800s, Sir Robert Peel’s nine principles coined the essence of the law enforcement function. Read these ever so carefully, for they provide profound insight.

Principle 1. “The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder.

Principle 2. “The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police actions.”

Principle 3. “Police must secure the willing cooperation of the public in voluntary observance of the law to be able to secure and maintain the respect of the public.”

Principle 4. “The degree of cooperation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity of the use of physical force.”

Principle 5. “Police seek and preserve public favor not by catering to the public opinion but by constantly demonstrating absolute impartial service to the law.”

Principle 6. “Police use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient.”

Principle 7. “Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.”

Principle 8. “Police should always direct their action strictly toward their functions and never appear to usurp the powers of the judiciary.”

Principle 9. “The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it.”

May these principles help forever guide the core of Boulder City Police Department.

Hey, clean, green Boulder City — keep it real!

Officer Jeffrey Grasso is a 11-year veteran of the Boulder City Police Department. He previously served as a police officer in south Florida for four years.