What Public Service Means to Me

For my entire professional career, I have worked only for the United States government (federal, state, and local), educational institutions, and government contractors. Given this perspective, while financial independence and success were important for living, they were never the sole driving force behind my efforts. As humans, we all have a base instinct to work towards something: money, personal goals and vision, serving others, status and success, and so on.

Through my experiences and observations, I argue that those who decide to work for the public must align themselves with a community-minded spirit—choosing not to attain personal financial wealth or status as their primary goal—in order to be successful, self-actualized, and fulfilled.

This internal argument didn’t come quickly or naturally as I began my professional life. At the start, I was in it for the money; I was a broke college student. However, once I had firmly established my experiences and professional visions for my life, I really started to dig deep into the reasons why I was doing what I was doing. When I applied for a position with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, I looked up their core values. After reading them and observing the way they treated their job applicants, new employees, and the public they served, accepting the job offer was a no-brainer.

The HILT of Public Service

The acronym I used to remember these core values is HILT. I likened it to the hilt of a sword of justice. A bit dramatic, but it worked. After the HILT, which I deemed the primary core values, I added the acronym RFDC, explained below:

HONESTY — We are truthful in our words and in our actions.

INTEGRITY — As people of character and principle, we do what is right, even when no one is looking.

LOYALTY — We are loyal to the values of our department and our profession and committed to protecting the quality of life in the communities we serve.

TRUST — We are confident in the integrity, the ability and the good character of our colleagues.

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RESPECT — We treat everyone with dignity, honoring the rights of all individuals.

FAIRNESS — We are just and impartial in all our interactions.

DIVERSITY — We embrace the strength of diversity in our employees and our communities.

COMPASSION — We are compassionate in our words, actions, and deeds.

“Mission & Values | San Diego County Sheriff.” Accessed November 25, 2024. https://www.sdsheriff.gov/bureaus/about-us/mission-values.

Throughout my career with the Sheriff’s Department, I did my best to live and work by these values, holding myself up to this professional standard in my service to the people of San Diego County. I wasn’t always perfectly aligned, and, on a few occasions, I needed to reorient myself with a reminder. If I were to add one more personal value to this list, it would be accountability.

The Basic Obligation of Public Service

The foundation for ethical behavior in public service is public trust. Thomas Jefferson proclaimed this principle: “When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property.” This doesn’t mean the public can demand simply anything they want out of public servants; the individuals entrusted with service should do what they can within the capacity of their power, ability, and duty to serve the public.

The U.S. Department of Interior clearly outlines the fundamental principles of ethical behavior expected of public servants, established by Executive Order 12674 (as amended):

• Public service is a public trust, requiring you to place loyalty to the Constitution, the laws, and ethical principles above private gain.

• You shall not hold financial interests that conflict with the conscientious performance of duty.

• You shall not engage in financial transactions using non-public Government information or allow improper use of such information to further any private interest.

• You shall not, except pursuant to such reasonable exceptions as are provided by regulation, solicit or accept any gift or other item of monetary value from any person or entity seeking official action from, doing business with, or conducting activities regulated by your agency, or whose interests may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of your duties.

• You shall make no unauthorized commitments or promise of any kind purported to bind the Government.

• You shall put forth honest effort in the performance of your duties.

• You shall not engage in outside employment or activities, including seeking or negotiating for employment, that conflict with your official Government duties and responsibilities.

• You shall disclose waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption to appropriate authorities.

• You shall satisfy in good faith your obligations as citizens, including all just financial obligations, especially those such as Federal, state, or local taxes that are imposed by law.

• You shall adhere to all laws and regulations that provide equal opportunities for all Americans regardless of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, and military service.

• You shall not use your public office for private gain.

• You shall act impartially and not give preferential treatment to any private organization or individual.

• You shall protect and conserve Federal property and shall not use it for other than authorized activity.

• You shall endeavor to avoid any actions creating the appearance that you are violating the law, the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (5 C.F.R. part 2635), the DOI supplemental ethics regulation (5 C.F.R. part 3501), or Executive Order 12674.

“Basic Obligation of Public Service | U.S. Department of the Interior.” Site page, July 1, 2015. https://www.doi.gov/ethics/basic-obligations-of-public-service.

This is what public service means to me.