...power in the work place or a police man or woman doing unnecessary and over the top things to you. Abuse of power seems to be a common thing in some police officers every day life and this is not okay. It is very apparent what a police officers job is and that is to protect and serve the community and make sure that real criminals are being served justice, however; some may come across police officers that use the fact that they have badges and weapons to their advantage in order to basically become a bully instead of a hero. Of course not all police officers are corrupt, most are actually doing their job and are concerned with the safety of all people and not just their own but those few that are corrupt need to be stopped and be punished for their police brutality and/or abuse of power. So the question is, are police men and women being evaluated thoroughly enough so as not to hire corrupt officers? Are police officers being punished and or brought to justice because of their wrong doings? In this paper I will bring some cases of police brutality and or abuse of police powers to your attention as well as if and how police are being punished because of their illegal or down right cruel behavior. Becoming a police officer is far from an easy task as it should be, but why is it that after so much questioning and tests of integrity and moral values citizens are becoming more and more victimized by police officers? In my opinion police officers are not being as extensively...
Words: 828 - Pages: 4
...Police Misconduct/ Corruption Over that past 50 years the media has done a spectacular job of broadcasting police misconduct and corruption to the public. Unfortunately, in the past 25 years the detection of misconduct and corruption has skyrocketed because of the rapid development of technology; for example dash cams and microphones have been notoriously known for catch police misconduct. Police officers are trained to follow certain ethical protocols, but after they leave the academy some officers diverge from that ethical line. This is for a variety of reasons; some being cynicism, arrogance, financial necessity, and even fear. The term corruption and misconduct has always been part of the police culture since the very beginning; from...
Words: 1036 - Pages: 5
...Police Corruption Police corruption is a complex phenomenon, which does not readily submit to simple analysis. It is a problem that has and will continue to affect us all, whether we are civilians or law enforcement officers. Since its beginnings, many aspects of policing have changed; however, one aspect that has remained relatively unchanged is the existence of corruption. An examination of a local newspaper or any police-related publication on any given day will have an article about a police officer that got busted committing some kind of corrupt act. Police corruption has increased dramatically with the illegal cocaine trade, with officers acting alone or in-groups to steal money from dealers or distribute cocaine themselves. As long as there has been a professional Police force in the United States there have been corrupt Cops. The form of corruption in early America usually took the form of bribes and brutality, not all that far from the form of corruption these days. Police corruption is defined as the abuse of police authority for personal or organizational gain. This comes in many shapes and sizes, from major drug trafficking and money laundering to looking the other way on minor everyday violations of the law. Historical cases of corruption have lead to a widespread view that all police are corrupt. One study reported that by officers’ own accounts, 39 percent of their number engaged in brutality, 22 percent perjured themselves, 31 percent had sex on duty, 8 percent...
Words: 759 - Pages: 4
...the first law was written, the law enforcement community has been confronted with a litany of allegations that officers have violated the public's trust by engaging in criminal acts of corruption. Many aspects of policing have changed over time; however, one aspect that has remained relatively unchanged is the existence of corruption. Police corruption is a complex issue and a growing problem in the United States today. Corruption in policing is usually viewed as the misuse of authority by a police officer acting to fulfill personal needs or wants (Martin, 2011). It has seemingly become far too common, that on any given day, a local newspaper will often display an article about a police officer that got caught committing a corrupt act of some sort. Many forms of corruption exist. The activities that constitute illegal corruption can differ depending on the country or jurisdiction, and include but are not limited to: bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, and embezzlement (legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/). Across the United States, Drug-related corruption is a huge problem among law enforcement officials. For many decades, communities have felt the burden of law enforcement officials involved in drug corruption scandals. Drug-related corruption has plagued federal, state and local law enforcement in many ways. Large groups of corrupt police officers have been caught in New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, as well as many other cities. (Martin...
Words: 859 - Pages: 4
...228-234 Police Corruption in India ____________________________________________________________________ Ravikanth B. Lamani1 G. S. Venumadhava2 Abstract Police as a Law enforcing agency is an important institution of that social control which existed in some form or the other in all society in all ages. Police is an integral part of the present day society. A society in the present set up cannot live and progress without an effective, sincere and honest police force. The Indian police have its roots in the ancient period and the present day police are the outcome of an evolutionary process. The bad things which it has inherited from the old system include corruption among policemen today. Corruption exists in one form or the other in the police system. Corruption has infected every sphere of modern life. It has vitiated the moral values of the society and the police force cannot be an exception. In fact, corruption of police is not a new phenomenon, but the irony is that the issue has seldom been seized by the organization with a sense of seriousness. In this paper an attempt has been made to discuss the various aspects of police corruption in India. The author has tried to discuss the various factors responsible for police corruption and suggest some remedies to control the corruption among policemen. The main objective of the paper is to discuss the extent, causes and remedies of police corruption and explain the extent of distrust that create against police due to...
Words: 4523 - Pages: 19
...Police Brutality When one thinks of a police officer, the first thing that usually comes to mind is a proud person in uniform protecting and serving the people. Policemen are the enforcers of the law whose job in it's simplest form is to protect civilians. So what if a fellow policeman breaks the law and harms innocent civilians? Does the title of Police Officer come with the ability to get away with crime with little to no punishment? Today, many reports of police brutality have been exposed and yet a large number of them do not get punished for it. Although many cases of police brutality are because of corrupt law enforcers who think they are above the law, it is the corrupt government officials that decides to not pass judgment onto the real criminals even when they know who is at fault. Many people often associate police brutality with a corrupt justice system and government because of its history. Throughout history, many dictators including Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin abused their military power in order to get what they wanted. Even in today's world countries like North Korea and Egypt possess corrupt governments that utilize military force on innocent civilians frequently. What makes police brutality such a big deal in America is the fact that unlike other countries, police brutality cannot be justified with uniting the country. It directly violates a set of rights written by the founding fathers that our whole government is based off of known as the Constitution...
Words: 2242 - Pages: 9
...taking this course (I am not a Criminal Justice major) was to understand when, why and where an officer can search my possessions and how officers use their discretion to be objective in their line of duty and how not to be subjective when making their decisions. In my personal opinion the world is a corrupt place in many ways. I want to avoid corrupt officers at all costs and I feel as a citizen having the knowledge of police tactics and the way justice is served is the most important step in doing so. I am not saying I do not trust police officers, I have immense respect for their line of work; but I am not naive to the world and I know that everyone cannot be trusted. The Role of Discretion in Policing. Unlike any citizens outside their profession, officers have the right to use force against someone. Another important characteristic of the policing profession is the amount of discretion given to individual officers. The senior police management officers make decisions about department policies, police strategies, and distribution of police resources; this is also called command discretion. Surprisingly, day to day decisions like whom to stop, whom to arrest, and who to question are made by everyday officers. These officers also decide how to deal with public complaints. There is much public concern and the media and policy makers take great interest in why and how officers exercise their discretion. In my opinion, people in the corporate world and other professions are...
Words: 534 - Pages: 3
...JOHN HUGHES #45063 STILL ANGRY BECAUSE OF YOU OFFICER JOHN HUGHES BADGE #45063 Lawsuits PPR #53 - Portland Copwatch portlandcopwatch.org/PPR… In three cases recently reported in the media, Portland Police were found to have violated civilians' rights ... the City to Christophe Clay, whose suit included Officers John Hughes (#45063) and Michelle Tafoya (#46432). ... Portland, OR 97242 I apologize for my angry language but I need to venta So here it goes. How come Officers John Hughes (#45063) hasn't been imprisoned? Well, I'm sure something will happen sooner or later to you Mr. Johnny Hughes. Do you remember me, Officer Hughes? "Your encounters with most citizens are remarkably the same you torture and falsify charges." You hate anyone that...
Words: 1065 - Pages: 5
...Police Corruption Police corruption is an issue that has been around ever since the police force was introduced. Corruption is defined as the abuse of public power for a personal benefit. It is an issue that affects the entire society and has always been very hard to control. Police corruption is continuing to increase in the United States. Newspaper and other public publications will have stories about police officers abusing their power and committing crimes like drug smuggling, prostitution, money laundering and accepting bribes on any given day. Police officers are just as likely to commit a crime as any other citizen in the United States but when the corruption occurs people often act surprised. When committing police corruption the officer will misuse their authority, abuse their power to ultimately receive a personal gain. Police corruption can be broken down into two separate categories. The first is internal corruption which involves police officers working together to commit a crime. The second is external corruption which is when police officers accept pay offs from people who the book rules or city laws. The police force is very aware that this corruption is going on and are constantly looking for ways to decrease it. The first thing the police force needs to do is strengthen the police leadership. The chief of the force along with other people in power have to make sure they are showing their concern for police corruption in a public and private matter. They also...
Words: 672 - Pages: 3
... Law enforcement officers are both respected and suspected, They wield tremendous power and are capable of depriving persons of their freedom, reputation, and life. The majority of law enforcement officers are competent, honest, professional, and psychologically stable, but there are some who may use their shields as a license to steal and or kill. Law enforcement leaders are in a quandary as to how much corruption exists in their agencies. While most law enforcement departments try to employ the best individuals possible, the hard question is what happens when they become corrupt. The public is expected to put its faith and trust in law enforcement officers. These men and women are called on to protect the lives and rights of others. The Oath of Honor places on them a high code of ethics for their public and private lives. When a police officer takes bribes it could make the whole department look bad not just the single individual. The corruptive process and occupational deviance in law enforcement have their counterparts in other professions. Corruption occurs in all professions and occupations. In law enforcement there are obviously more opportunities for corruption than in the other professions. History and documented facts have shown us, many of them show great control and responsibility, but it is the small percentage of those officers who are corrupt that have brought scrutiny and lack of trust in police departments nationwide. Police corruption is defined as...
Words: 1316 - Pages: 6
...discussion about police ethnics, the word integrity must be defined. Integrity is the sum of virtues required to bring about the general goals of protections and service to the public. The author, Rich Martin stated that the major cause of police corruption is mediocrity. It is the leadership’s responsibility to maintain a high level of conduct within a department to prevent the mediocre. He states that some reasons for the corruption is the work that police do. It is measured in results. Therefore, the officers will find ways to complete these tasks and some choose to cut corners or violate the law and not even consider it being unethical. (Martin, 2011) A report made by the National Police Misconduct reported in their Semi-Annual that there were 2, 854 law enforcement officers alleged to have engaged in misconduct. It also stated that there were 207 law enforcement leaders’ police chiefs or sheriffs that were cited in those reports. It included how many civilians that were involved in the law enforcement officer misconduct. It concluded that there were 2, 568 victims of reported police misconduct. (Packman, 2009) An example of police corruption in the United States happened in Missouri. An officer is accused of having sex with two women in exchange for not arresting them. The officer, Jeffrey Holmes visited a motel room to meet with a prostitute. The woman, identified as CC told investigators that once they reached the room, he proceeded to arrest her. The officer began touching...
Words: 832 - Pages: 4
...Police Corruption has been around since the beginning of its existence, though there has been a drastic reduction over the years; corruption continues to be a problem. There are many different forms to define police corruption because there are different types and different levels. Police corruption may be defined as unethical behaviors, unreasonable acts, and unnecessary force. Unethical behaviors are caused when an officer does not desire his or her position. The officer as well may show unethical behaviors when he or she did not receive enough training. Police corruption is an act or when an officer has involvement of misusing authority or gains a self-benefit. Such benefits may include benefits as profits through illegal acts. Those acts include of drugs, robberies, false imprisonment, and planting evidence (). The acts of an officer taking advantage of his or her authority may include excessive force when the force is not necessary such as beating of arrestees. There are a few major types and levels of corruptions involving gratuities, bribes, and internal corruption. These types of corruption vary on the seriousness of the acts. Gratuities, for example may be a level of rotten apples, do not harm anyone; it allows police officers to receive free meals or discounts to certain locations. Rotten apples are the lease serious levels of corruption; when a few individual officers are engaged in a situation. Many individuals believe that police gratuities are a form of corruption...
Words: 666 - Pages: 3
...Police corruption will never be eliminated, but a significant reduction of corruption could be achieved. The first step in the reduction of corruption would be adequate training to increase skills and handling of situations by the police officer. Implementation of a stricter hiring process to pre-screen applicants and continue to weed out inappropriate candidates during intense training while addressing all avenues of policing. Officers in field training break the law on and sometimes off duty with no repercussion in regards to the law broken which can, therefore, escalate into more severe crimes committed by the officers turning into increased corruption. Promoting ethics and integrity with those unable to withhold these standards should...
Words: 292 - Pages: 2
...Jamaica were persons of the Jamaican Constabulary Force (JCF) are accused of corruption. Few of which are, police man charged for reportedly solicited $10,000 in order not to proffer charges to a motorist for breaching the Road Traffic Act (Policeman on Corruption, 2010). A policeman confessed to stealing a laptop computer from a home in Hellshire Heights (Policeman Arrested, 2012). Between the periods January – September, 2011 the JCF issue a release that reviled that 34 members of the JCF were dismissed for corruption, 7 members were dismissed for corruption and 18 civilians were charged with corrupting JCF staff (JCF Anti-Corruption, 2011). These corruption statistics damages the image of the Jamaican country which in turn discourages investors, tourist and lowers the confidence that citizens have in the JCF. This literature review was done to outline the technologies that can be implementing in the JCF to lower the corruption rate in the country and how beneficial those technologies can be to the country. As such we will discuss how the society has been impacted by the process of corruption of in JCF, how beneficial GPS, surveillance cameras and mini recording devices can be in the Jamaican society if they were implemented in the JCF and how will the implementation of GPS, surveillance cameras and mini recording devices assist in the change of behaviour of the officers on duty. How the society has been impacted by the process of corruption of in JCF. Jamaican citizens...
Words: 3010 - Pages: 13
...forms of corruption. The author implies that the corrupt doings of police officers can be seen as a ‘individual’ failure but to a certain extent also a ‘institutional’ failure where the force can be seen as responsible. The chapter describes ‘corruption’ in a narrow, legalistic sense generally refers to an police officer knowingly doing or not doing something that is against his or her duty for some form of financial or material gain or promise of such gain. This limited focus is geared principally at bribery and ostensibly financial arrangements for not enforcing the law. The offence of bribery is posited on an external briber, one who commits the act of bribing and some form of reciprocation from the one who is bribed. This implies that that the initiative for the transaction comes from someone outside the police organisation. Generally the nature of the reciprocation is vital for proving that a criminal offence has taken place; simply accepting gifts or small amounts of money without evidence of reciprocation might fall under internal disciplanry regulations. For instance, showing that an officer altered a statement so that the briber will not be prosecuted for an offence would be an indication of reciprocation. After describing various forms of coruption and defining what it is, the author continues onto the second part of the chapter explaining a key element in corruption. It described the ‘initiation ceremony’ by fellow officers and this process was also used in the military...
Words: 464 - Pages: 2