Police Brutality And Corruption Essay

Police departments must execute their duties in such a manner that protects the conditions of a democratic society and addresses the security needs of all individuals and groups. The execution of these duties must also show the community that they serve that they are good stewards of the positions they have been afforded the opportunity to hold and those who hold these positions must be free from corruption. The term ‘police corruption’ has been used to describe many activities: bribery; violence and brutality; fabrication and destruction of evidence; racism; and, favoritism or nepotism.

Stories of police corruption are read about or seen on news broadcasts at a level that would tend to make the public believe that corruption incidents

In fact, the two issues are distinctly different, yet still considered corruption. The identifiable difference between the two issues is what the actual goal of the behavior is. Police brutality, usually is the result of an emotional response to frustration, anger, or hate, and the end goal is satisfaction or gratification through a release of tension or an exertion of energy; police brutality during riot intervention on the other hand, is an example of brutality involving a group of officers or a collusive activity (Price,

The report revealed that there were multiple factors that contributed the corrupt behaviors by officers. It was also revealed that these factors contributed to creating an environment where corruption was viewed as acceptable.

Within the report evidence suggested that an environment in which dishonesty becomes perverse is usually produced by political interference when appointments to position of authority occur; the supervisors and command staff of an agency demonstrate unethical behaviors; members of the community offer and encourage gratuities and other financial gains; the police department is not involved within the community; there is ineffective recruitment and training combined with lower than average pay; and a failure to enforce internal policies in a consistent manner due to a lack of support for enforcement on the part of the public; and lastly, selective enforcement of laws on the part of the police (Price, 1972, p.