Police Ethics and Deviance Assignment
Running head: POLICE ETHICS AND DEVIANCE ASSIGNMENT
Police Ethics and Deviance Assignment
Axia College
Police Ethics and Deviance Assignment Police officers live by a specific code of ethics that helps them to their chosen profession in the noblest means possible. The problem is that officers are human and as humans, they sometimes give in to temptation and bad judgment while trying to fulfill the completion of those duties. A few of the deviant behaviors that officers succumb to are corruption, misconduct, and brutality. Some officers will partake in the items previously listed in the name of doing the “right thing”. This has been given the name “The Dirty Harry” syndrome, after the movie of the same name (Dempsey & Frost, 2005). Regardless of the goodwill behind it, any abnormal behavior by a person sworn to uphold the law cannot and will not be tolerated. Ethics can be described as what one does that is considered right and wrong to society and people. Ethics helps one make decisions and behave in specific ways that will not bring shame and disgrace to one’s self. A police officer’s code of ethics has to be higher than the people they are protecting and serving. T. O’Connor (2005) cites the following Law Enforcement Code of Ethics:
|The Law Enforcement Code of Ethics |
|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. |
| 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
Police Ethics and Deviance Assignment
Axia College
Police Ethics and Deviance Assignment Police officers live by a specific code of ethics that helps them to their chosen profession in the noblest means possible. The problem is that officers are human and as humans, they sometimes give in to temptation and bad judgment while trying to fulfill the completion of those duties. A few of the deviant behaviors that officers succumb to are corruption, misconduct, and brutality. Some officers will partake in the items previously listed in the name of doing the “right thing”. This has been given the name “The Dirty Harry” syndrome, after the movie of the same name (Dempsey & Frost, 2005). Regardless of the goodwill behind it, any abnormal behavior by a person sworn to uphold the law cannot and will not be tolerated. Ethics can be described as what one does that is considered right and wrong to society and people. Ethics helps one make decisions and behave in specific ways that will not bring shame and disgrace to one’s self. A police officer’s code of ethics has to be higher than the people they are protecting and serving. T. O’Connor (2005) cites the following Law Enforcement Code of Ethics:
|The Law Enforcement Code of Ethics |
|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. |
| 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
References: Dempsey, J. S., & Frost, L. S. (2005). Police and the law. In (Ed.), An introduction to policing (pp. 250-290). Retrieved from Axia CJS 210. O’Connor, T. (2006). Topics in police ethics. Manuscript submitted for publication. Retrieved February 19, 2010, from http://www.apsu.edu/oconnort/3300/3300lect04.htm O’Connor, T. R. (2005). Police deviance and ethics. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from http://policecrimes.com/police_deviance.html Staff (2009, July). In the news: police corruption. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/police-corruption Stevens, M. (2005). Police deviance and ethics (Masters Thesis, California State University - Fresno, 2005). Retrieved from http://faculty.ncwc.edu/mstevens/205/205lect11.htm