Scenarios

Posted: September 9th, 2013

Scenarios

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Scenarios

In the case involving the rookie officer and his superior who continued to assault a suspect who offered no resistance physically, the most ethical response would be as follows. The junior officer should seek an anonymous channel through which he could report the actions of the sergeant and the senior officer. In doing so, the rookie officer would assume a leadership role in improving the human resource skills of his superiors. On the surface, his action may seem suicidal to the career of a junior officer, as it is uncommon for rookies to attempt to shape the conduct or behavior of their superiors within the disciplined forces. However, this action would be in line with practicing exemplary leadership values that do not depend on loyalty or hierarchy.

Reporting the officer to the relevant authorities was the best way to go about the situation as the rookie was expected to do the ethical thing after such and incident. The code of ethics for police officers dictates how police officers should perform their duties. It states that they should treat all citizens with equal consideration, dignity and courtesy. The same code also stipulates that police officers should conduct themselves in a manner that invokes respect and confidence from members of the public. The senior officer who continued assaulting the suspect even though he was immobilized was openly flouting these rules, and as a result, the rookie needs to show exceptional leadership skills by reporting these violations.

Directly approaching to intervene in the physical abuse might look like the best idea at the time. Although it may save the suspect, it may not necessarily change the attitude of the sergeant towards suspects. The behavior by police officers is controlled largely by law enforcement code of ethics. This code of ethics prescribes how police officers should handle their responsibilities, their subjects and their resources. Police officers, therefore, need to be morally upright individuals in all their activities.

Burglary by police officers

            The first officer should immediately report the behavior of the second officer to a higher authority. In reporting, the officer should be careful to point out the importance of instilling aspects of honesty and responsibility in the officer rather than punishing them for the wrongdoing. The reporting officer could avoid mentioning any names to avoid creating hostility among the colleagues. This consideration is in line with the confidentiality clause in the code of ethics. Police officers are expected to keep secret whatever they see, hear or learn about unless their positions are threatened.

Apart from making an official report to the relevant authorities, the first office should also discuss with his colleague on the importance of police officers being honest and upright especially during their working hours. Naturally, police officers have skills in handling armed suspects and other criminal situations. However, they rarely have other leadership skills that are necessary to ensure that police work is done satisfactorily. The two officers should, therefore discuss qualities such as responsibility, honesty and accountability. The stealing officer should be aware of the fact that while doing his work, he is accountable to the public to ensure that high levels of security are maintained (Ortmeier, 2006).

However, though confidentiality is important, every police officer needs to have integrity. This means that police officers should not engage in bribery, corruption or theft. Other police officers should also not condone similar acts from their colleagues. The code further stipulates that police officers should avoid any activities that may compromise their integrity. A combination of personal advice and professional reprimand will be beneficial in changing the behavior of the officer. The consequences of stealing from the public may include the police officer being demoted, receiving probation and possibly facing burglary charges in court.

Reference

Ortmeier, P. J. (2006). Introduction to law enforcement and criminal justice. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall.