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The role of ethics for police
Explain ethics in law enforcement and policing
The role of ethics for police
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The definition of ethical behavior usually includes the a few things that are the known standards and expectations of society, including trustworthiness, respectfulness and most importantly humility. Usually, these ethical standards are also accepted as professional standards. For law enforcement officers, these standards also include integrity and courageousness. According to an arrival written by the United States Department of Justice, entitled “Ethics and Integrity”, all of these characteristics are fundamental to the effectiveness of police officers and the connections they strive to build with the communities they work in.
They also point out police departments can combat negative images by conducting themselves accordingly and applying
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These are their version of the police code of ethics are as follows:
1) As a Law Enforcement Officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the Constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality and justice (POLICECODES.ORG, 2008)
2) I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all; maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed in both my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty (POLICECODES.ORG,
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This is also the same reason why the article is important. It gives the citizens a good look into what the correct behavior for an ethical police officer is. This article is very similar to the article Written by the United States Department of Justice, except their article only gives a short definition of police ethics, and offers a more detailed explanation of why these codes are important and how they can be used to improve the tarnished relationships between communities and their
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,
Their professional commitment is as they are professional police officers they all adhere to the ethical standards of their profession and to place their concerns for the welfare of their community and the citizens of the town above their own personal concerns while doing their police services. They all go by the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics.
Each position in criminal justice holds power and responsibility, and therefore, it is very important that said people in those positions do not abuse it. Unethical behavior in the criminal justice system takes away trust and respect from authority, and as a consequence, the law is more easily disregarded if the people lack faith in the system. It can, also, contribute to crime and/or cause citizens to not report crimes. Society should have indubitable confidence in the men and women of the criminal justice system. Law enforcement officers violating even the smallest rule could lead to more serious infractions. Syed (1997) states, "Every instance of corruption bends or violates a rule or law and, similar to the granting of impunity, may contribute to an officer's perceptions of the law as applying differently to different people and increase the ease with which violations can be rationalized." Having less than ethical persons in our criminal justice system can lead to a weakened society, the ruining of lives, and even add to crime.
Vito, Gennaro F., Scott Wolfe, George E. Higgins, and William F. Walsh. "Police Integrity: Rankings Reprints of Scenarios on the Klockars Scale by “Management Cops”." EBSCO Publishing Service Selection Page. June 2011. Web. 16 Feb. 2015.
Police ethics are extremely important because ethics are the typical of “fair and honest conduct” (pg 460). People may have a different definition of what is fair and what is honest, and there are different circumstances where officers may not be able to be honest; such as covert investigations. Society in general determines what our ethical standards and moral principles are. Individual morals vary among all of us as they are what we as an individual consider to be right or wrong. We also have morals that are set by society. These are what we as a society consider to be right or wrong and may go hand in hand with individual morals. Morals change as society and people change, therefore we as a country have to adapt to what the changing morals are.
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. (New Westminster Police Department, 2014)
"A policeman’s first obligation is to be responsible to the needs of the community he serves…The problem is that the atmosphere does not yet exist in which an honest police officer can act without fear of ridicule or reprisal from fellow officers. We create an atmosphere in which the honest officer fears the dishonest officer, and not the other way around.", -Frank Serpico.
Police Officers Oath of Office and Code of Ethics, A Question of knowledge Richard W. Deshon (2000) retrieved from: www.emich.edu/cerns/downloads/papers/PoliceStaff/
Law enforcement executives want the public to get a positive, ethical image of the various department what they are sworn to serve and protect. The image
It is often said that power brings corruption, but in reality it is an individual’s lack of character, self-discipline, and integrity that leads to corruption. Law enforcement can bring many temptations on the job, and maintaining an up most level of personal integrity can often times be very difficult. The very nature of the job surrounds officers with all of the bad things that society, produces. There can be an endless amount of training and rules put into place to try and deter officers from committing unethical acts, but in the end it really just comes down to the specific individual and their willingness to do the right thing.
are to be treated with kindness, respect, politeness, and love that is a police officer 's duty.
Police decisions can affect life, liberty, and property, and as guardians of the interests of the public, police must maintain high standards of integrity. Police discretion concerning how to act in a given situation can often lead to ethical misconduct (Banks 29).
3. maintain courageous calm in the face of danger: I think that this is very important, police officers must not bring their family problems on the job with them. Doing this will only cause more problems for both his occupation and his family life.
The three important canons in my opinion are two, four, and eight. “Number two illustrates the proper limits of how individuals, groups, or facilities supposed to maintain themselves accordingly to the laws set in place” (Bohm & Haley, 2011, p.200). This is important as a police official because these exact same laws are put in place to protect both the officer and the individual as to their civil rights. Number four displays the proper way officials supposed to respond to a crime by using the proper means to gain proper ends. Furthermore, officials should keep in mind the laws, training, and the oath that they agreed to as police officers seriously. For Example, when a police makes an arrest they should acknowledge the individual’s possession
Communities place their trust and safety within the hands of police officers to maintain order and protect the public. Law enforcement officers are charged with having a high level of integrity in order to accomplish the preservation of the public. Dr. Stephen Vicchio, a professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, states that integrity is “the sum of the virtues required to bring about the general goals of protections and service to the public.” A police officer who possesses the traits of trust, perseverance, respect, courage, and honesty can be viewed as an officer with morals and values and less susceptible to police corruption.