...Since 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...
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... Name Professor Institution Course Date The impact of terrorism on the police mission in the United States? The roles of police in United States according to Schmalleger (2007) include; law enforcement, apprehending law offenders and investigating crimes, crime prevention, and domestic peace as well as providing the society with the required enforcement services, and ensuring that there exists tranquility. Over a long period, the police roles remained as stated until the effects of September 11, 2001 Islamic terrorist attack when the police assumed the responsibilities of antiterrorism and incidents related to terrorism activities. Currently, police are dedicating much of resources and time in training as preparation in case of future potential terrorist attack. Intelligence and information gathering have become very essential activities by police to ensure continued prevention of terrorism attack. In addition, police have prioritized their response to incidences of terrorism and were considering the responses as of more precedence compared to other roles or duties (Crank J. P., 2010). Disagreements in existence towards law enforcement to combat terrorism Since the September 11 terrorist attack, disagreements have emerged on how to deal with the threat of terrorism attack (Delattre, 2006). The first of all the disagreement was on how much intelligence federal agencies should and can share with the...
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... 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...
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...Assignment Law Enforcement Today CJS/200 May 20, 2012 Ryan A. Conti Law Enforcement Today Today’s law enforcement officers are faced with difficult challenging issues. Being trained efficiently is most important so they know how to respond to the many different issues. According to Schmalleger (2011), corruption, on duty dangers, deadly force, and racial profiling are just some issues today’s law enforcement has to deal with. Multicultural society is one of the main challenges that police officers face on a day to day bases. To “protect and serve” is the number one duty of law enforcement. According to Schmalleger (2011), it is important as a police officer to understand and respect the different habits, customs, beliefs, patterns of thought and traditions of the people. Law enforcement officers need to be able to have an understanding on the differences of a multicultural society and a lot of the issues that occur can be resolved. Another problem that has been an issue is corruption. There are a lot officers that perform their job according to the law but there are those few that do not. Schmalleger (2011) stated, “Police corruption is the abuse of police authority for personal or organizational gain” (p.269). Unfortunately, police corruption affects not only the police officers but also their community, the police department, and other police departments worldwide. Police corruption comes in the form of violent crimes, bribes, property bribes...
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...Case Study: Police Corruption and Its Prevention Management Human Resources (CRJ535) TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Title Page 1 Table of Contents 2 Abstract 3 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY Introduction and Background to the Problem 4 Definition 4-5 Prevention Begins With Leadership 5-7 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Psychology and Social Perspectives 7-9 Theories to Analyze Police Behavior 9-15 CHAPTER THREE: DISCUSSION Implications of Police Corruption and Conclusion 15-18 REFERENCES 19 Abstract Society has a responsibility to respect the community and of course, the police officers that protect the community. More often than not, society’s respect of police officers is nonexistent due to the constant media reports of police corruption and brutality. Police corruption has been around since its conception, but is now being publicized more heavily. As a result, mistrust of police officers has increased. Solutions to the mistrust must be discovered and implemented. Even more important than solution is prevention of police corruption and practices that will make the police reputation and actions more ethically sound. With appropriate discipline and prevention practices in place, integrity will be established within the organization and public trust will be established within the community. CHAPTER ONE Introduction and Background Police Corruption takes place when a police officer engages in an...
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...ABSTRACT: This paper will discuss the different types of forced that is used in law enforcement as well how officers demonstrate unethical behaviors, corruption, and crossing the line of misconduct. The Dirty Harry Syndrome and Code of Silence will also be discussed in this paper. As early as twenty-five years ago the primary tools were shot guns, small caliber guns as well limited chemicals sprays and hand guns. Night sticks and black jacks also known as Billie clubs have been in existence for many years and were once the only weapons that were used by law enforcement. As criminal activity has advanced so has technology to fight it. Things such as stun guns, martial arts, aerosol sprays which we know as pepper spray as well as more powerful hand guns are weapons that have been introduced and given to the law enforcement agencies we have today. Even with the latest technology in weapons that is offered agencies still have great difficulty in being able to adequately use them. Due to budget constraints training is not always available and when agencies don’t receive proper training it results in lawsuits due to officers mistakes and possibly misconduct. When an agency cuts back on training lives are lost as well as careers, moral is weakened and overall everyone is impacted. Knowing when and how much force to use is a question and concern many agencies face and often have many dilemmas about. The given avaible technology...
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...Abstract Corruption and corporate and personal integrity is becoming a major problem in the global economy we live in today. Corruption is defined as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. Numerous national and multinational companies face serious cultural problems including corruption and integrity issues. Today there are many reasons as to why corruption and lack of integrity is harmful to so many countries. Corruption affects a countries politics, economy, society, and overall environment. When the counties leadership is lacking integrity, than a corrupt country cannot develop, which causes the country to become even more corrupt. In addition, the corrupt countries economy suffers with the potential depletion of their national wealth. However, the damage of corruption on society is most damaging of all. Country corruption and unethical behavior diminishes trust in the government, politics, and leadership of their country. This in turn creates the potential for more unethical behavior and corruption in that society. Overall, the environment of that country suffers and only creates a domino effect of more unethical behavior and corruption across the spectrum. Haiti has been ranked as one of the most corrupt country in the World by Transparency International. Once a tourist’s attraction, Haiti was one of the most beautiful mountainous countries of the Caribbean Islands now it is pledge by corruption and a government that lacks moral and integrity. It...
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...twenty-first century. In the past 50 years, policing has undergone a level of scrutiny it has never known before. Issues that plague the organization as a whole are displayed on the evening news. The accomplishments and shortfalls have become a nationwide issue. As communications continue to move at the blink of an eye, law enforcement must continue its struggle to rise above the issues and defeat them. Concerning issues that will continue to affect law enforcement include increased immigration and community relations, the dark cloud of corruption, along with a recently developed relationship with federal agencies in the War on Terror. The trends and issues facing police must be met with suitable action to prevent them from overshadowing all the good that law enforcement is there to represent. In the past 20 years illegal immigration has set new records. Hispanics have surpassed the African Americans as the largest minority group in America. Police officers today and well into the future must be sensitive to the influx of immigrants, many of which do not speak the English language. People new to America may have doubts about their security and safety among law enforcement. In recent years there has been a trend of departments focusing on hiring bilingual officer and newly immigrated officers (Walker & Katz, 2011). This is a step that departments are hoping will assist them in good police-community relations. It also is designed to put immigrants’ worries to rest and give them a sense...
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...No. 4, December 2013, 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...
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...Today’s law enforcement officers are faced with difficult challenging issues. Being trained efficiently is most important so they know how to respond to the many different issues. According to Schmalleger (2011), corruption, on duty dangers, deadly force, and racial profiling are just some issues today’s law enforcement has to deal with. Multicultural society is one of the main challenges that police officers face on a day to day bases. To “protect and serve” is the number one duty of law enforcement. According to Schmalleger (2011), it is important as a police officer to understand and respect the different habits, customs, beliefs, patterns of thought and traditions of the people. Law enforcement officers need to be able to have an understanding on the differences of a multicultural society and a lot of the issues that occur can be resolved. Another problem that has been an issue is corruption. There are a lot officers that perform their job according to the law but there are those few that do not. Schmalleger (2011) stated, “Police corruption is the abuse of police authority for personal or organizational gain” (p.269). Unfortunately, police corruption affects not only the police officers but also their community, the police department, and other police departments worldwide. Police corruption comes in the form of violent crimes, bribes, property bribes, and denial of civil rights. On duty dangers are just a given to becoming a police officer. Being...
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...Unethical Police Operations Paper Jose Cuevas CJA/214 March 9, 2013 Coby Webb Unethical Police Operations Paper As a police officer you have an ethical job in front of your community and a pact of trust within everyone but because of all the respect and importance a police has this can lead for police corruption. Police corruption is the act of involving the misuse of authority by a police officer as a manner designed to produce personal gain for himself or for others. The two key elements of corruption are the misuse of authority and personal gain. Corruption is only one form of misconduct or deviant behavior by police officers. Some officers will save lives because that’s their passion others will look at the beneficial and financial matter and will be capable of disobeying laws. Police deviance distinguishes between occupational deviance and abuse of authority. Occupational deviance includes criminal behavior which is committed during the course of normal work activities or committed under the guise of the police officers authority. Including improper behavior that is not illegal such as sleeping in the job. Abuse of authority includes an action by a police officer that tends to injure, insult, tress lass upon any human action of dignity, or to violate an inherent legal right of a citizen. An illegal arrest and use of excessive force is wrong but does not involve any person gain. A criminal assault on a friend or family member by an off duty police officer is a private...
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...Terrorism The American Heritage Online Dictionary defines Terrorism as “an unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons.” Given this definition I will attempt to elaborate on how terrorism affects society as a whole and how it has bought about changes in current laws as it pertains to the safety of all citizens. Terrorism is a major issue in American and has a phenomenal impact on people of all walks of life, because terrorism affects everyone directly or indirectly in some form or fashion. Since the infamous 9-11 terrorist attacks on the United States there have been many changes in regard to the way law enforcement agencies interpret and implement their mission. A perilous balance exists between police actions and the approaches needed to ensure the safety of all Americans against terrorism and personal liberties. These agencies now have a heighten sensitivity to terrorism and its threat and the balance is affected by police ethics and individual conscious. One prime example is the Patriot Act, which many contend is designed to protect our country and its citizens from the recurrences of the 9-11 terrorist attacks; in practice the Patriot Act is an even more dangerous attack against our personal liberties. “It is an attack on the very premises upon which this country is founded...
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...field, there are numerous, also diverse challenges that they have to deal with on an everyday basis. The leaders of the criminal justice, police department start from low ranks in move up to one of the highest ranks the chief which they have positions and duties They have to do. While with roles as such, they have to deal with difficult tasks and situations within their rank. The duties they are diversifying the more they move up in rank. In discussion within this paper, it will talk about the challenges the leaders have to deal with currently also give an explanation for the steps that the criminal justice system leaders can do that can alter and help the criminal justice system in the future years to come. The police chief In law enforcement, the police chief is one, of the highest ranks as an officer. The person that has this position must prep their selves, for the negativity that they will have to deal with as chief. As the chief, the person will have to deal with the past also current challenges. Every situation that comes up with the police department are in the duties they, have within this rank is to guarantee the safety of the department as well as society to manage the officers, the public who employed by the department as well. The chief’s ability to communicate so that they can get plans and views to understand by personal, also to society the chief cannot have a one-sided mind frame. They must have the ability at all times, to take control of the department...
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...integrity of law enforcement and the grounds which the laws were based on. Regardless if an officer takes a small bribe or is involve in a drug trade, the corruption forever change the relationship between communities and the face of justice. . . Unethical Police Operation When a Police Officer abuses his authority, it is called police misconduct. Police misconduct is a broad term used to describe police corruption and police brutality which include violations of state and federal laws, the violation of an individual’s constitutional rights, and the abuse of police authority for personal gain: excessive force, false arrest and imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and wrongful death. (The Free Dictionary, n d.) Corruption is one of the world oldest practices and is defined as the abuse of authority for personal gain. Before the 1970, alcohol, gambling, and prostitution were the primary drivers of police corruption. Drug-related police corruption became a major factor after the 1970’s. Ethics involve making moral judgments about what is right or wrong. It is said that ethics provides a way to make moral choices when we are uncertain about what to do in a situation. Police officers everyday life involves this type of thinking and their code of ethics help prevent them from engaging in various types of corruption. Corruption Behavior The divergence of this sort of police corruption unquestionably affects how the public views law enforcement, especially...
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...Falsifying Police Reports It has come to the attention of this department that there have been reports of questionable conduct from some of our officer employees. Police officers that are supposed to enforce the law, at times become more aggressive than the criminals themselves. How much corruption there is and knowing its characteristics are important steps to understanding corruption and then being able to successfully control corruption without illegal means is what is done. We uphold the laws, not bend them or break them to apprehend suspects, and criminals, “the bad guys.” Because of these reports, there is a serious threat to our law enforcement, which could compromise the values of our profession and our high ethical standards, and it is called “Noble Cause Corruption.” Noble Cause Corruption Noble cause corruption policing can be thought of as “doing something bad that will have a good end.” Peter Northouse This happens a lot when good police officers care too much about their job and the people of the community, and in order to get criminals off the streets they begin to do bad things because they truly believe that the overall “outcome will be good or justify the means.” Peter Northouse Examples of noble cause corruption can be; the planting or fabricating of evidence, lying on reports or perjury one’s self in court, and generally abusing their authority to make a charge stick. Many times officers will bend the rules for the greater good as being...
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