Law Enforcement Agency Ethical Issues Essay

One of many problems faced by law enforcement in society today is public perception of an agency’s ethical issues. These issues can stem from behavior of an individual to the practices of an agency. Regardless, the ethical practices of a law enforcement agency are vital in establishing trust with the citizens whom they serve, retention of the officers whom they employ and maintaining the ability to work with outside organizations. At the forefront of all this is human resource management.

The responsibility of human resource management today is much more than ensuring new employees successfully navigate the hiring process. They are vital in making sure that a law enforcement agency is moving in the direction of becoming or remaining an ethical agency (Sloan & Gavin, 2010). Such a goal is accomplished by establishing clear guidelines for ethical behavior and hiring individuals whose ethics further the agency’s objective. However, according to (Sloan & Gavin,
2010), human resource management can only accomplish this goal if they work with the leadership of the agency as a team and their goals are the same.

To ensure that an agency is moving in the direction of good ethical behavior, a clear and complete set of policy and procedures must be established (Sloan & Gavin, 2010).
The policy and procedures should encompass the function, responsibilities and expected ethical behavior of human resource management as well as the agency’s leadership. In other words, the example of ethical behavior starts with leadership. Having said that, when the policy and procedures of a law enforcement agency are clear and concise regarding ethical behavior, employees better understand what is expected of them. Therefore, once established, they should be reviewed often and updated to guarantee goals are being achieved (Sloan & Gavin, 2010). In my agency, human resource management and leadership conduct an annual review of policy and procedures and have found that changes are often needed. By making the necessary changes, we have seen a change in how our officers respond to different situations and have received positive public
feedback.

The team, made up of human resource management and leadership, plays a vital role in the hiring of prospective employees. Therefore, they have the added responsibility of making sure that prospective employees share the vision of the agency. This can be accomplished by thorough background checks, psychological testing and carefully worded questions used during the interview process. Such practices paint a picture allowing team members to see if an individual’s belief system and their goals align with those of the law enforcement agency (Sloan & Gavin, 2010). At the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office these practices have proven to be effective. I have seen the selection process at my agency eliminate several applicants who have later proven their ethical beliefs did not align with those of the sheriff’s office. Many of them have been arrested and successfully prosecuted for crimes committed after being passed over for employment.

In conclusion, being an ethical organization takes a team approach involving human resource management. It is more than just reciting a mission statement or an ethos, it is about coming together as a team and enacting a common-sense approach to ethical issues faced by agencies. Human resource management is pivotal in this process and helps to better a law enforcement agency.