Undercover law enforcement officers are intriguing yet mysterious to most of the general public. Being undercover cover is not like what is depicted in television shows. The undercover officers have specific requires before being allowed to go undercover. They walk a fine line of obeying the law and possibly breaking the laws they are enforcing. These undercover officers must complete rigorous training for different types of “sting” operations and the different hazards the officers may face while undercover. Also being undercover takes a toll on everyday life both physically and mentally. How does someone become an undercover officer? The answer is not very simple. There are many steps or hurdles one must complete in order to become an undercover …show more content…
One of the main attractions to undercover work is the thrill of it (Dees 2). Numerous officers describe the adrenaline rush and getting to see how criminals work and to take down criminals as the main reasons they wanted to go undercover (Farmer 375). Another benefit of being an undercover officer having an above average salary compared to normal police officers. The average salary of an undercover police officer is eighty thousand dollars a year plus benefits like healthcare, dental, etc. (Wheeler 375). This largely depends on the agency, a small agency would be below this average and a large agency would be above this. Either way the salary is still pretty good. Teamwork is a valuable skill all undercover officers learn while working (Dees 1). This is considered a benefit because if the officer decides to leave undercover work he or she will likely have better teamwork skills than their fellow normal police officers. Teamwork skills may allow a former undercover officer to handle tasks that a normal uniformed officer may not be capable of doing. Finally as briefly mentioned above, the satisfaction of bringing a criminal to justice that likely would not have been capture by traditional means, is a huge benefit (Farmer 376). This is what everyone in law enforcement wants is to bring criminals to …show more content…
One of the biggest issues the public and even some law enforcement agencies has is money that has gone missing (Lichtblau 3). Typically in an undercover operation the officer has money the agency gives him or her to use to buy the drugs or other illegal items. However, some of the ends up disappearing. Many people suspect the undercover officer to be the one that has took or hid the money for his or her own use. Another issue with undercover operations is if they go bad and the operation has to be aborted before an arrest can be made. A prime example of this would be the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATFE) and operation Fast and Furious. During this operation, the undercover officers had to pull out of the mission, and when they did the ATFE lost track of thousands of firearms that ultimately got into the hands of Mexican drug cartels (Lichtblau 4). However, despite these setbacks the majority of undercover operations are successful in making arrests, stopping drug rings, and returning stolen property.
Undercover police officers teeter on the edge of justice and evil. It involves deception and covert activity that can either hinder or help an investigation. Even though the job is sometimes considered more dangerous than being a normal police officer, there are still many benefits to it as well. Also there are numerous agencies in which someone can do undercover
We will examine the case of NYPD Narcotics Detective Frank Serpico, who was regarded as a snitch and a rat by fellow officers who were on the take, and complete a what would you do dilemma. Serpico's original intent was not to be a "whistleblower" within the Department, but rather all he wanted to do initially was to be a Police Officer and not accept any bribes, payoffs, or favors as a result of his professional position within the community (Petit, 2011). As a consequence of his testimony before the Knapp Commission in 1971, Serpico was ostracized by his peers as a deviant for being conscientious; ergo, although it cannot be proven, it is believed that he was ultimately set up to be shot during a drug raid in which he was seriously wounded. To this day, Frank Serpico questions why fellow cops never called in a code 10-13 officer down after he took a bullet in the face on Feb. 3, 1971 (McShane, 2012).
The job of a law enforcement officer sometimes can be tough. Officer are sometimes plagued with situation that test their ability to enforce the law and maintain order. Police officers today face a constant battle to maintain higher ethical standards. This mission becomes tougher each day when one considers the importance of fighting terrorism, drugs, human trafficking,
Serve and Protect are common words associated with police officers, however some law enforcement officers taint the honor and integrity of the job. Police Corruption is a serious problem affecting nearly every city across the country and world. Curbing police corruption is a tall order; however, improving the recruitment and training process and internal controls can bring this issue to an abrupt stop.
When political anarchy, social injustices, and crime end up leading to civil depravities that go against the foundation of democracy, society depends on the police to come in and keep the peace, while attempting to restore the order. These officers are asked to pursue criminals in vehicles, and on foot, repeatedly expose themselves to the dangers of the crimes, and remain calm while being under pressure at all moments on the job, and even off duty. Being an officer of the law takes a special person
It is both a result and a cause of police isolation from the larger society and of police solidarity. Its influence begins early in the new officer’s career when he is told by more experienced officers that the “training given in police academies is irrelevant to ‘real’ police work”. What is relevant, recruits are told, is the experience of senior officers who know the ropes or know how to get around things. Recruits are often told by officers with considerable experience to forget what they learned in the academy and in college and to start learning real police work as soon as they get to their Field Training Officers. Among the first lessons learned are that police officers share secrets among themselves and that those secrets especially when they deal with activities that are questionable in terms of ethics, legality, and departmental policy, are not to be told to others. They also are told that administrators and Internal Affairs officers cannot often be trusted. This emphasis on the police occupational subculture results in many officers regarding themselves as members of a “blue
How to Get a Job in the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit? Woman. I am a woman. N.p., n.d. Web. The Web.
You have to train so that they know you qualify for the job. You have to be in shape and know how to act in different situations. The agents receive classroom and Web-based instruction in subjects including law, investigative practices, forensics, behavioral science, and ethics. To get an experience of what it will be like, they will have you practice and act out common scenarios. The trainees will conduct a mock-investigation where they will interview suspects, find evidence, and provide testimony in court. The new agents will also receive proper training in firearms, defensive techniques, working undercover, tactical driving, and
With all the authority and power that is gained by being a police officer, the job is bound to attract a few individuals looking to take advantage. While recruiting, the police aim to weed out those unfit for the job and its included responsibilities, but no system is perfect. Sometimes there are officers that take advantage of the system, just like people may do in any other job.
For years police corruption has been a major problem in American society but where is the line between moral and unethical police corruption, many modern movies address this vary issue. Some films portray how types of police corruption can have a positive influence on society, while others show the dark side of police corruption. Many law enforcement agents join the criminal justice with the basic idea of “justice for all,” however, most of them do not realize that the nice guy doesn’t always win. Even though there are vast amounts of movies which specifically address police corruption we will use three main movies for our argument today, mostly LA Confidential, however, also Training Day.
One may ask themselves, if law enforcement officers are working to protect the public, why would they commit corruption like they do? As it is described above, corruption is a big part in the law enforcement sector of society. The entire concept is quite complex although it may seem self explanatory to many people. Learning the many types of corruption and misconduct is only the beginning, then, to understand why the officers commit the conduct for which they do. With all this, it becomes apparent to the certain measures that need to be taken to rid society and police departments of the conduct that is constantly present.
http://www.privateinvestigatoradvicehq.com/what-is-it-like-to-be-a-private-investigator-7-things-i-wish-i-new-before-becoming-a-private-investigator/. N / A. 2012, March 29. Private Detectives and Investigators -. Retrieved from www.bls.gov: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Protective-Service/Private-detectives-and-investigators.htm.
Entrapment is a very important issue today in criminal justice because of the United States wide use of undercover operations that are meant to evoke victimless offenses as a part of proactive law enforcement. Nevertheless like with other laws entrapment is something that needs to be regulated and a since of fairness should also be installed. Undercover operations are necessary and they have their place in the law enforcement arena however these operations have severe backlashes that causes a potential “drug bust” to turn into an investigation of a detective department when things go wrong. This type of police corruption leads to lost of respect in the community along with trust from the thought of being infiltrated
Police officers have to accomplish many things in their workday. (Career Cruising.com) They have to write detailed reports and fill out forms.(Career Cruising.com) They are responsible for making sure that people obey the law and are kept safe at all times.(Career Cruising.com) They also observe the activities of suspects.(Career Cruising.com) Cops have to gather facts and collect evidence from many crimes.(Career Cruising.com) Many police officers duties depend on the size and type of their department or agency.(Career Cruising.com) They must conduct traffic stops and issue citations.(Career Cruising.com) On many occasions they must prepare cases and testify in court.(Career Cruising.com) Cops may work with special units or task forces.(Career Cruising.com) Police officers investigate criminal activity by interviewing witnesses and looking for evidence at the crime scenes.(Career Cruising.com) Cops help victims of many crimes or accidents.(Career Cruising.com) Many times they will have to respond to calls such as assaults, car accidents, or noisy parties.(Career Cruising.com) The police must work undercover when required to gain certain intelligence.(Career Cruising.com) They patrol areas on foot, motorcycle, bicycles, or in their patrol cars.(Career Cruising.com) While on a patrol, officers are always prepared to respond to all types of emergencies.(Career Cruising.com) A Police officer could be called to any type of situation wh...
Law enforcement officers historically were paid poorly for the job they were tasked with. As a result, some officers took it upon themselves to engage in corrupt and unjust behaviors. One
Being a police officer requires high level of ethics and standards. Corruption within an agency can affect a community, state, and even a nation. Corruption may seem inevitable but using proper screening, extensive and continuous training and holding officers responsible can deter officers from becoming corrupt.