Police Officers and Ethical Dilemmas

Police officers are faced with ethical dilemmas on a daily basis. These dilemmas can range from accepting a free cup of coffee from a business owner to being offered a bribe by a suspect. In some situations, officers have to make a decision in haste that could affect the rest of their career and personal life. Undercover officers face additional ethical dilemmas due to the nature of undercover work. It is crucial that officers are educated about and reminded from time to time of the Oath they took when hired.

Police officers have a code of ethics they agree to uphold when they are sworn in. The IACP has a code of ethics that law enforcement agencies have adopted. This organization also encourages on-going ethics training.

Your task for this assignment is to address the following issues:

• Are there any changes you would make to the IACP Oath? Why or why not?

• Compare and contrast the IACP Oath and the oath of your local police department? (If you cannot locate the oath of your local department, you may use the oath of any police department.

International Association of Chiefs of Police's oath

On my honor,

I will never betray my badge1, my integrity, my character, or the public trust.

I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions.

I will always uphold the constitution2, my community3 and the agency I serve.

My local community's 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 persons 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 welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed in both my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty.

I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminal, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.

I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the police service. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession...law enforcement.

• Does media coverage of police officer corruption over-simplify the ethical dilemmas police officers face on a daily basis?
• Discuss what "entitlement" means and how it can affect the officers in your department.
• Evaluate why many police departments ignore "entitlement" and focus more on other unethical behaviors during ethics training.
• Discuss some solutions that your department can institute to ensure the officers understand the ethical dilemmas "entitlement" poses for the police department and the careers of the officers.