Message from the Chief

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit the Apex Police Department website. I hope you will find the content here helpful in better understanding, and interacting with, your police department. 

As your Chief of Police, I want you to know that the APD is staffed with exceptional men and women who are honored to protect and serve you with distinction. We pride ourselves on being an invaluable part of your community, not some independent force acting upon it. We take your safety seriously, because we know that you are not free to pursue the best possible life for you and your loved ones, when you do not feel safe. We want you to feel that the things you have worked so hard for are protected as well. To both these ends, we embrace a proactive approach to ferreting out criminal activity before it occurs, and to thoroughly investigating and prosecuting the crime we cannot prevent. 

It is my belief that the best way to provide you with superior policing services is to take good care of the men and women who work so hard to take care of you. Policing is an incredibly difficult endeavor, and one that can exact a costly toll on those brave enough to undertake it. My primary focus is on deploying happy, healthy, well-adjusted human beings in uniform, so they are better equipped to make the right decisions, and take the right actions, in unpredictable and often exceedingly challenging circumstances. 

Please know that your support is the foundation upon which this great department must be structured. We are acutely aware of the fact that we garner every ounce of power and authority we have through your trust and consent. We vow to continue earning your respect and trust, one interaction at a time. When we miss the mark, which we occasionally will do, I encourage you to let us know so that we can improve our efforts in the future. That said, I also ask that you please show us some grace in providing constructive criticism. This is a hard job, and despite the uniforms, these are human beings with human feelings behind that badge. Of course, I hope that when we meet or exceed your expectations, you’ll take the time to let us know as well. Thank you for taking the time to read this message. Thank you for the honor of serving as your Chief of Police. And thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting the exceptional humans who’ve agreed to put their own lives on the line, so the rest of us may live in peace. 

Chief Ryan Johansen