Transcript MPitts Ethics 250KB Jan 19 2015 10:34:51 AM

Career
Survival
Strategies
Law Enforcement Ethics
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Objectives
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Define the terms ethics &
professionalism.
Help new law enforcement officers
address ethical and moral situations
which could lead to behavior that
would be considered unethical or
immoral.
Develop an understanding of the
need for standards of ethical and
moral conduct within the law
enforcement profession.
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Individual Exercise
The Ideal Police Officer
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Your elderly mother lives alone in a
distant city, over 2000 miles away.
1:30 a.m. two armed intruders forcibly
enter the back door of her home.
Very frightened, she frantically hits the
panic button on her home alarm to
summon police
What is one quality you want the
responding police officer to have?
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Ethics

The principles of honor
and morality; Accepted
rules of conduct; The
principles of conduct
governing an individual
or group.
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Ethics in Action
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“Doing the right thing, at the
right time, in the right way”
Example – “Golden Rule”
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Profession
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“A vocation or occupation,
requiring advanced training in
some liberal art or science, and
usually involving mental rather
than manual work, such as
teaching, engineering, writing, law,
medicine, or theology”.
[Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary]
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Professions
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Professions or “callings”
require an ethical adherence
to a code of behavior
Examples of Professionals
- Doctor
- Minister
- Social Worker
- Teacher
- Attorney
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Is Law Enforcement a Profession?
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Based on what we have discussed
so far, are law enforcement officers
justified in calling themselves
professionals?
Does law enforcement have
difficulty being recognized as a
profession due to the way our
“customers” are treated?
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Pinning on a badge and wearing a
gun does not make a professional
law enforcement officer any more
than one would become a doctor
by putting on a white jacket and
stethoscope. Professional status
is not attainable by merely
proclaiming that we are a
profession.
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Ethical Qualities
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Honesty
Respect
Compassion
Integrity
Courtesy
Diversity
Trustworthiness
Courage
Empathy
Fair
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Ethics is the key to
every law enforcement
officer being recognized
as a professional.
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Unethical Behavior
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Dishonesty / Perjury
Brutality
Racial Prejudice
Soliciting or Accepting Gratuities
Violation of Laws or Department
Regulations
Discourteous Conduct
Misuse of discretion
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Unethical Behavior
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Divulging confidential information
Falsifying reports
Excessive use of alcohol
Extramarital affairs
Gambling
Illegal Drugs
Theft
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Unethical Behavior
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Violations of Civil Rights:
- Illegal search
- False arrest
- Right to an attorney
- Right to bail
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Unethical Behavior Consequences
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Lack of Respect
Lose Credibility
Discipline
Loss of Police Certification
Ends Careers
Can lead to Legal and/or Civil
Consequences
Family Disgrace
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Unethical Behavior
Consequences
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Department Embarrassment
Fellow Officers feel emotional and
professional impact
Your pride in yourself and your
profession is lessoned or lost
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Making the right ethical decisions
Ask Yourself:
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Is my decision legal?
Would I do this in front of my
family?
Is this worth my job and career?
What would I do if I were being
video taped?
Will friends and family be proud of
this decision?
Am I following the Golden Rule?
How would I feel if I were the
citizen in this case?
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Ethical Behavior;
Are your actions right or wrong?
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Know the Law
Know Department Rules and
Regulations
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Know the Golden Rule
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Know the Code of Ethics
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Reporting Violations
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If you do nothing, you are in fact
condoning the activity
Reporting violations of conduct is
your sworn duty. It is no different
than violations of criminal law
We cannot expect citizens to
believe we can police ourselves
until we prove that we can
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Moral Courage
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Refusing gratuities
Refusing to participate in a cover-up
Refusing to participate in ethnic or
gender-based humor or practical
joking
Reporting violations of department
rules and regulations or criminal law
In essence, moral courage is this:
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An Ethical Officer’s Motto
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I will always hold myself
and others accountable for
having the courage and
dedication to always do the
right thing.
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Ethics begin
and end with
YOU