Code of Ethics in Police Agencies
Law enforcers have been associated with countless accounts of brutality and abuse of authority for a long time. In some cases, the police have been associated with high-level corruption. The police have a responsibility to safeguard the public and curb crime (Pike et al., 2018). Citizens expect that every officer will fulfill their obligation by being just and unbiased. The society can neither trust nor attribute professional status to deviant officers. Nonetheless, the police department has had a few outstanding officers who work diligently to serve the public. Some have even paid the ultimate price by exposing themselves to danger to safeguard the society they serve. It has been said countless times that no other career stresses higher moral standards than the police. Policing is an occupation that needs extreme devotion to doing the right thing. Modern police agencies are striving to attain the appropriate conduct of their members by proposing some ethical standards. The core aim of a code of ethics is to support the police to provide the maximum professional standards as they serve the society.
Ethical conduct emanates from the principles, ideals, awareness, and attitudes that control each person’s judgments. Every police officer has to make a difficult decision or a complex one in their everyday activities. The choices may involve the proper way of talking to distressed persons or allocating limited resources (Collins & Klahm, 2018). Thus, police organizations should be transparent on the ethical principles that they expect to guide decisions and the consequences of not adhering to the expectations. Furthermore, the public is encouraged to report any unprofessional behavior.
The principles outlined in the ethical code include accountability, impartiality, honesty, integrity, direction, objectivity, sincerity, respect, and selflessness (Pike et al., 2018). The combination of these values and ideals of behavior encourage consistency between the public expectation and what the officers do. Adherence to them will ensure the law enforcers do the right thing and in the correct way.
The law enforcers must always act with honesty and integrity. Research reveals that integrity is the primary determinant of trust in any organization. Integrity in the police service means an officer sincerely accepts values and moral standards. The principle guides the police to use their authority or warrant cards only for professional purposes (Pike et al., 2018). They should not be used to gain individual advantage that could imply one is abusing their position. Abiding by the principle, maintains not only public trust but also admiration from one’s leaders and colleagues. People view an honest officer as a dependable role model.
Police are allowed to utilize covert regulations to achieve legitimate policing aims. Such tactics must be lawful, accountable, and ethical. The principle encourages officers to be courageous and do what they believe is right. Moreover, they should not make misleading or false written or oral statements in any professional context. They are also discouraged from soliciting or accepting the offer of any gift that could compromise their fairness. Additionally, it guides the officers against using their positions to settle personal scores.
Under the moral code, a law enforcer is supposed to exhibit self-discipline and tolerance. Moreover, they must handle colleagues and members of the community with respect and courtesy. Most individuals that come into contact with the police are usually in a state of distress or excitement. Civilians who are in trouble or difficulty, reach out to the police for protection. Their issues are vital to them, although they seem minute to an officer who is used to dealing with different situations daily. In such cases of personal importance, the police need to treat such people in a courteous manner (Han, 2018).
Although the police have often associated kindness with weakness, the code has helped them understand that this belief is false and misguided. The principle ensures that the police carry out their duties efficiently and competently. Adherence to this policy enables the police to avoid any action that may lessen their effectiveness and impair the reputation of the police service. It also serves to prevent officers from behaving or using language that could be perceived as oppressive, abusive, harassing offensive, or victimizing to the public or colleagues. The policy ensures police remain respectful even in situations of provocations. Officers are also able to step forward and be in control when required by circumstances. The code informs law enforcers that work relationships should not create conflicts of interest. Furthermore, it advises them against engaging in sensual relationships or other unsuitable activities while on duty. It warns against emotional relationships with people that officers engage with during their work, especially if they are vulnerable.
One of the main agendas of the code is to guide law enforcers to follow the law concerning people’s rights and equality. For example, it advises that police officers should be compassionate and empathetic to the people they serve. Moreover, they should treat persons according to their needs. Police understand that vulnerable individuals should be offered extra assistance and support. The principle ensures that the police are at the forefront in the fight against discrimination while encouraging victims to report perpetrators (Braswell et al., 2017). They can consider the needs of people with protected characteristics. Following this guide also makes officers to act and make decisions based on merit without bias.
A significant achievement of the code of ethics is that it has limited the excessive use of power. It allows using force only when necessary. According to the standard, the police are expected to use the smallest amount of energy needed to achieve the required outcome. Officers are expected to justify their use of force based on their honest assessment at the time they used the power.
The code stipulates that officers should give and carry out lawful instructions only. In some circumstances, failure to follow orders may not be considered as a transgression; for instance, when a junior officer sensibly believes that an instruction is illegal. Nonetheless, if requests are lawful, an officer is obliged to back their coworkers to the best of their capability in the instruction’s execution.
Officers must be diligent in exercising their duties and responsibilities. Each officer is fully responsible for their actions, and they should be able to justify their decisions. The police must also efficiently use available resources while carrying out their duties. Although police officers are allowed to have authorized business interests, the interests should not conflict an officer’s professional work and responsibilities. Moreover, an officer can belong to an association if it does not create a conflict of interest with police duties. Police officers are barred from engaging in active politics. The main aim of the restriction is to guard officers from situations where their impartiality is compromised.
The standard of confidentiality instructs the police to treat information with respect. Therefore, an officer may access information at their workplace for legitimate reasons only. It is a criminal offense to access confidential information without authorization. The principle of confidentiality also relates to social media use (Braswell et al., 2017). Although there are very many advantages that relate to using social media in policing issues, there are also potential threats. Officers must, therefore, use the internet responsibly. They should not publish anything that can be viewed by the public as discriminatory. They are cautioned against publishing any information that may damage their reputation or the police in general.
The principle of ‘fitness of work’ is primarily intended to ensure that officers are fit to perform their duties when at work (Collins & Klahm, 2018). The principle also forbids the police from consuming alcohol when on duty, using illegal drugs or misusing legal medicines. An officer that admits to their seniors that they have been abusing drugs must be supported appropriately as long as they indicate they are willing to stop. Nonetheless, they are still subject to criminal proceedings. Senior officers must ensure that there are appropriate mechanisms to support officers who drug abuse problems (Collins & Klahm, 2018). If an officer feels that they are not in the best physical condition to perform their functions, they must immediately inform their boss. Moreover, they must seek medical advice from qualified health practitioners and follow all their recommendations. If an officer is absent from work due to illness, they must not participate in actions that will ruin the return to duty.
The code obligates police officers to have ethical conduct, whether they are on duty or off duty. Law enforcers must understand that the citizens expect them to preserve the highest standards of their behavior (Han, 2018). Civilians are always watching every move made by the law enforcers. It has been established that the public scrutinize the police service more than any other career, either because they hope to find them doing the wrong thing or expect to see a good role model in them. Therefore, before acting on anything, an officer must always think about how a civilian will regard their behavior (Han, 2018). They must analyze whether a particular action will result in losing public trust with the police or whether it will increase the general approval of the law enforcement agency. Thus, the code helps police officers to avoid actions that may taint the image of the police service. Moreover, they avoid any action that may compromise the police operations. Their conduct must be perfect while retaining a situation of admiration in the society. Ethical conduct also involves being punctual while on duty. An officer should be beyond reproach in both their open and private life.
Proper police ethics dictate that an officer must report any action taken against them for a criminal offense. If an officer is subjected to either arrest, summons for a crime, a penalty notice for being disorderly, or a charge for an offense, they must report to their seniors (Kappeler et al., 2017). Moreover, an officer is mandated to report any severe criminal verdict against a family member or a close associate so that safeguards can be established. An officer that faces any of the accusations could cause mistrust to the law enforcement agency, and this may lead to punishment being taken for delinquency.
The principle of discretion in the code informs officers to reasonably use the option vested on them and apply it in the law. The officer must have a guided determination and will consider all conditions while determining whether a lawful deed should be taken. Regular and proper use of choice made based on certified policing practices will elicit a good relationship between law enforcement agencies and the public.
Law enforcers are also expected to report or take action against their colleagues. Officers must never overlook unethical or unprofessional behavior by their coworkers regardless of their rank. Police officers must question their colleagues’ behavior if they believe the conduct falls short of the expected standards (Braswell et al., 2017). If one is unable to challenge the action of a fellow officer directly, they can report to a senior officer. The top management must support an officer who reports any unethical conduct. Moreover, the law demands that whistleblowers must be protected. The police service should not allow victimization against any person who accurately reports unlawful behavior by colleagues. Nevertheless, an officer will not be supported and will be disciplined if the statement is discovered to be malicious and false.
Law enforcement officers are accountable for their standard of expert performance. They are, therefore, required to take every prospect to boost and advance their skills and abilities (Kappeler et al., 2017). A law enforcer can attain the needed top-notch knowledge that is crucial for the proficient and competent enactment of their work through further education. Through continuous learning, officers can familiarize themselves with the moral code and the canons of police operations.
The moral code helps the police to adhere to the due process of the law. They can acknowledge that their primary responsibility, in the proper enforcement of criminal law, is not to ensure a suspect becomes convicted but to gather all facts regarding the incident to be fair (Braswell et al., 2017). If they follow the ethical standards, they will not deprive suspected persons of their constitutional rights. Moreover, the code of ethics prevents officers from relying on their own opinions, which are often arrived at prematurely and without facts. Additionally, police toe the line when gathering evidence.
In conclusion, the police service is a profession that has always faced public distrust. The negative perception is further intensified when police are involved in delinquent behavior such as corruption, false arrests, or brutality. Thus, it was essential to come up with a set of rules that will guide law enforcement and re-establish public approval and trust. It would be difficult and sometimes impossible for law enforcers to fulfill their duties without federal consent and confidence; on many occasions, the police depend on civilians to report cases and help in the provision of evidence as eyewitnesses. Most countries have thus, formulated a code of ethics to keep police conduct in check. The code summaries the purpose and mission of the police. Although their primary duty is to prevent crime and maintain order, they must realize that they are dealing with human beings who have rights. Moreover, it provides consequences for those who do not adhere to it.
References
Braswell, M. C., McCarthy, B. R., & McCarthy, B. J. (2017). Police Ethics, Legal Proselytism, and the Social Order: Paving the Path to Misconduct. In Justice, Crime, and Ethics (pp. 122-140). Routledge.
Collins, T., & Klahm IV, C. F. (2018). Police Accountability and Ethics. The Handbook of Social Control, 263-275.
Han, H. (2018, December). Study on the Police Occupational Ethics Education in the New Era. In 2018 2nd International Conference on Economic Development and Education Management (ICEDEM 2018). Atlantis Press.
Kappeler, V. E., Potter, G. W., & Green, E. (2017). POLICE ETHICS, LEGAL PROSELYTISM. Justice, Crime, and Ethics.
Pike, G., Westmarland, L., Conway, S., & Rowe, M. (2018). Public and police perceptions of policing ethics.