Chief Donna M. McNamara

On behalf of the men and women of the Stoughton Police Department, I welcome you to our Department’s website. 

The Stoughton P.D. is made up of currently 59 officers and numerous other team members who work hard and with distinction every day. Police work is a calling and comes with accountability to those we serve and those with whom we serve.

Events in our profession and department have prompted us to look in the mirror. For the Stoughton Police Department, it means creating a culture of accountability from top to bottom. We asked leaders at all levels for their input, passion and commitment to build a better Stoughton P.D. starting with newly defining our core values, an updated mission statement, vision statement and the culture we are building.

Those key elements are as follows:

Our core values are trust, character, courage, and commitment.

The Stoughton Police Department takes the TRUST of our community seriously and are committed to holding ourselves accountable for maintaining and strengthening that trust.

CHARACTER must be at the core of every action we take. Honor, integrity, accountability, self-control, and respect for the seriousness of our actions are non-negotiable in our ranks.

We are dedicated to serving you with COURAGE in the moments you need our unique skills and abilities the most. 

Our COMMITMENT is to protecting and serving our community. To building partnerships. To reaching out to the vulnerable. To being empathetic. To extending a hand and understanding.  To acting with integrity. To building a team that supports each other in becoming the best people and public servants we can be. To adapting. And to having the transparency and humility to admit when we are wrong.

Our mission

Our mission is to protect the rights and dignity of all people and to work in partnership with the community. We are dedicated to providing professional police services and enforcing the laws impartially and with compassion.

Our vision

Our vision is “To make Stoughton safe, strong, and supportive of everyone”.

Our community is stronger together, which is why we build partnerships with local business owners, schools, neighborhood groups, elected leaders, our faith community, and those who represent Stoughton’s amazing diversity.

We work with people in need and we see them on their worst days. These individuals need our empathy and professional help. We are committed to getting it right—for them and our community.  

Finally, I want to tell you about the culture we are building.

Police reform and police culture are talked about regularly—and deserve to be. Both are focuses of the media, community leaders, and legislators.

Our department is also seeking change from within, as we require a renewed accountability to our values and each other. We are building a culture that survives personnel changes, a crisis, or a test of our commitment.  

This newly sharpened mission and vision statement, in conjunction with our efforts to change our culture for the better, have involved feedback and participation from veteran officers and newly hired patrol officers, union representatives and command staff.

Our values, mission, vision and culture will determine the destiny and ability to serve the citizens of Stoughton with distinction.

Thank you for the trust you place in the Stoughton Police Department every day. I promise you our best efforts to honor that trust.

–from Chief Donna M. McNamara