In performing their duties‚ police are allowed to use a wide range of discretion. Police discretion “is defined as the power enjoyed by a public officer to make a choice among possible courses of action or inaction”(Green & Kelso‚ 2010). Using police discretion‚ officers can decide whether to make an arrest‚ and make decisions about the amount of force to use during an altercation. Factors that affect these decisions are race/ethnicity‚ the seriousness of the offense‚ the suspect’s demeanor‚ poverty
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CMRJ302 Week Five Forum When you begin to get into police discretion‚ you have to first bring up the spirit of the law and the letter of the law. Did the subject mean to do whatever the issue is? Is there intent? When I was first married years ago my wife had gotten a parking ticket in Hoke County‚ NC. It was one of those things that got poked away in her glove box. I had found the ticket and taken it to the Hoke County courthouse to pay it. I paid by check (that is how we used to do things.) I
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The Fine Line between Police Discretion and Corruption Abstract In today’s law enforcement agencies there is a fine line between discretion and corruption. Imagine that you are a police officer‚ you pull over a car that you suspect is driven by someone who has had too much to drink. Upon reaching the window you find that it’s an old friend from school. Do you take him to jail or do you take him home? Police officers have the power to make this decision. In the world of the officer this could
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Police discretion essentially alludes to the decision-making power/choice that is afforded to police in terms of the handling of a given situation; the fewer rules given to officers and the more individual power they wield‚ the greater the discretion. Alternately‚ with more rules placed on officers concerning the ways in which they should conduct themselves/police business‚ the lower the level of discretion. In many ways‚ police discretion is very important; every day‚ officers are faced with situations
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“Anyone attempting to construct a workable definition of the police role will typically come away with old images shattered and a newfound appreciation for the intricacies of police work” (Dempsy) Police officers are faced each day with a vast array of situations with which they must deal. No two situations they encounter are ever the same‚ even when examines a large number of situations over an extended period of time. The officers are usually in the position of having to make decisions on how to
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In article “The ACLU‚ ECDs‚ and the erosion of police discretion?”‚ the author Lance Eldridge talks about the use of Tasers: if police are using that alternative too much to stop a criminal from fleeing. According to the article many criticize the use of Taser by saying it’s unconstitutional. And that police officers are using this tool as their first choose without thinking of the medical condition of the offender. Changes will be made in the legal system should the Supreme Court deem the use of
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reasons for a police officer to exercise discretion. Police discretion is a choice by a law enforcement officer based on his or her training and experience whether to investigate or apprehend‚ the disposition of suspects and the application of sanctions (Schmalleger‚ 2015). Perhaps the most common practice for using discretions would be in those instances were the police handbook falls short‚ better known as the gray areas. Furthermore‚ police officers have also been known to use discretion when it comes
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There have been ongoing debates about the guidelines for police officers when conducting discretionary searches. One police department that has been in the headlines for its practices of discretionary searches have been the New York City’s Police Department. New York City’s Stop and frisk policy allowed police officers to stop and search an individual on the street at their discretion based on suspicion of criminal activity. One of the most highly publicized cases of NYPD’s stop and frisk tactic
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Allie Serres 4/15/15 CJ 250 Officer Muller Domestic Violence “Threatening and harmful behaviors directed at partners (or former partners) are prohibited under a variety of statutes‚ including those targeting stalking‚ work-place violence and harassments‚ and restricted gun ownership for convicted batters under the Lautenberg Amendment.” (Clement et al. 93) According to Statistic Brain online‚ there are 960‚000 estimated domestic violence incidences per year. Law Enforcement officers are the
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ASSIGNMENT #2 – Police Discretion When enforcing the law‚ no two situations are ever the same‚ there for becoming difficult and impossible‚ in some cases‚ to enforce the law equally. There are different circumstances in every crime‚ take murder for example. A ruthless‚ sadistic murder that was intentional. A pregnant woman being beaten by her husband until she‚ out of desperation‚ grabs a knife and stabs him to death. Two very different circumstances but they both fall under the same crime‚ murder
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