LAW ENFORCEMENT

ETHICS
Means vs Ends Dilemma

Deonological vs Utilitarian

is an approach to
ethics that focuses
on the rightness or
wrongness of
intentions or motives
behind action such
as respect for rights,
duties, or principles,
as opposed to the
rightness or
wrongness of the
consequences of
those actions

the moral worth of an

action is determined
solely by its
contribution to overall
utility: that is, its
contribution to
happiness or pleasure
as summed among all
persons - the moral
worth of an action is
determined by its
outcome: put simply,
the ends justify the
means
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Ethics in a Democracy

While consequences are important,

the basis of a democratic society
includes the notion that process is
an integral part of a democracy
and therefore, the basis for
evaluating the behavior is the
means not the ends
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Forms of Behavior

Ethical

Organizational/Political

Legal

Sources of Ethics

Justice

Law

Agency Policy

Sources of Standards

Law enforcement code of ethics

and codes of professional conduct
Organizational standards
established by departments and by
state & national commissions
Procedural and substantive laws
established by appeal court rulings
and by legislation
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Why are Ethical Standards

an Issue?

Social Contract

Protection based on control

mechanisms that contribute to the
maintenance of order in return for
surrendingin certain rights
Government collectively represents
the society as a whole and appoints
agents (police) to enforce the control
mechanisms
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Social Contract (cont)

Privileges granted to government include

permission by the people to develop
strictly limited processes and procedures
Society expects that the government will
protect citizens, respect the rights of
citizens, and appoint agents who have the
integrity to protect citizens and adhere to
the conditions of the social contract

Police Roles

Protector

Crime fighter

Service provider

What constitutes a Good

police officer?
Based upon Principles of
Justice

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Principles of Justice

Fairness

Rule of Law

Behavior

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Fairness

Uphold the law regardless of who

the offender is and not single out
special groups
Cannot use the position to take
advantage of people
Must avoid gratuities which could
give the appearance of special
treatment
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Rule of Law

Police are tools of the constitution

and are mandated not to go beyond
or supplant rule of their own
Not concerned with law breakers,
but their own behavior must be
within the bounds of law.
Police behavior must conform to the
dictates of law and policy
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Behavior

Police officers must at all times and

all places maintain a high standard
of behavior consistent with the
position of a public servant
Practice higher standards of
behavior in their public and private
lives than most other people
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Why is Ethics Important

Play an important part of the

internal image of police
Play an important part in how the
police are perceived by the public
Ensure self-respect in the
individual officer
Mutual respect among officers
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What is Integrity?

Acting in ways consistent with an

ethic

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What is Police Deviance?

Sex on duty
Sleeping on duty
Drinking/chemical use on duty
Sexual harassment
Quid-pro-quo harassment
Hostile work environment
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What is Police Corruption?

Takes place when an officer receives or is

promised significant advantage or reward
for:
Doing something he/she is under duty to
do any way
Doing something he/she is under duty not
to do
Exercising a legitimate discretion for
improper reasons
Employing illegal means to achieve
approved goals
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Rewards

Personal rewards

Money
Gifts
Access to power

Organizational rewards

Promotion
Peer support
Approval of Superiors
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Slippery Slope

Process of developing a moral career

Passing through various stages of
rationalization to more serious
misdeeds in a graduated and
systematic way
Once a person gets past the first moral
crisis, it become less difficult to
rationalize new and more unethical
behaviors
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Why are
Deviance/Corruption
problems?
Erosion of public service

Falloff of confidence in government

competency
Overall lack of public trust and credibility
Constant displays of lying, cheating,
theft, etc. create Cynicism and threaten
even the strongest code of ethic
especially when carried out by member
of the criminal justice system
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Corruption

Mooching
Perjury
Prejudice
Shopping
Premeditated Theft
Bribery/Extortion
Shakedowns
Opportunistic Theft

Corruption of
Authority
Chiseling
Kickbacks
The Fix
Direct Criminal
Activity
Internal Payoffs
Combative
Corruption
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Preventing Corruption

Positive Leadership
Political Influence
Authority and Responsibility
Policies and Procedures
Internal-Affairs units
Field Associate Programs
Turning
Integrity Testing
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