Chapter 7 Policing America: Issues and Ethics

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Chapter 7 Policing America Issues and Ethics
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Public Attitudes Toward the Police
What do people think of the police?

• It depends on
• whom you ask
• peoples prior experience

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Qualities of a Successful Police Officer
Police officers require a rare combination of
qualities and abilities

• Motivation for a police career
• Normal self-assertiveness
• Emotional stability under stress
• Sensitivity toward minority groups and social
  deviates

continued
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Qualities of a Successful Police Officer

• Collaborative leadership skills
• A mature relationship with social authority
• Flexibility
• Integrity and honesty
• An active and outgoing nature

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Qualities of a Successful Police Officer
Particularly important qualities are known as the
three Is of police selection.
Nearly as important are common sense and
compassion.
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three Is of police selection
Three qualities of the American police officer
that seem to be of paramount importance are
intelligence, integrity, and interaction skills.
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The Police Selection Process

• In many communities, selection of police officers
  is through a merit system.

• Officers employed under such a system are hired
  and tenured (theoretically) if they meet and
  maintain the employment qualifications and
  performance standards.
• They cannot be fired without cause.

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merit system
A system of employment whereby an independent
civil service commission, in cooperation with the
city personnel section and the police department,
sets employment qualifications, performance
standards, and discipline procedures.
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The Police Selection Process
The police officer selection process often
includes

• Short application
• Detailed application, including complete work
  history, references, and medical profile
• Medical examination

continued
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The Police Selection Process

• Physical agility test
• Written examination
• Background investigation
• Psychological testing
• Oral interview

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The Police Selection Process
The final steps of selection are

• Academy training
• Probation, usually between six months and one
  year, which includes formal field training

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Issues in Policing
Many areas of policing remain topics of debate,
particularly

• Discretion
• Use of force
• Police corruption

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Discretion
No list of policies and procedures could possibly
guide police officers through all the situations
in which they find themselves. Police routinely
must use their own discretion.
The issue of police discretion is very
controversial, particularly because some officers
abuse their discretion.
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discretion
The exercise of individual judgment, instead of
formal rules, in making decisions.
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Patrol Officer Discretion
Patrol officers routinely use their discretion in
deciding

• Where to patrol when not answering radio calls
• Whom to stop and question
• Which traffic violators to stop
• To ignore a minor violation in pursuit of
  something more serious

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Patrol Officer Discretion

• Patrol officers cannot provide full enforcement.

• Instead, police officers usually practice
  selective enforcement.

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Factors Affecting Discretion
A number of significant factors affect discretion

• The nature of the crime
• Departmental policies
• The relationship between the victim and the
  offender
• The amount of evidence available

continued
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Factors Affecting Discretion

• The preference of the victim
• The demeanor of the suspect
• The legitimacy of the victim
• Socioeconomic status of the complainant

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Discretion and Racial Profiling
Racial profiling is of growing concern to law
enforcement officials and to the public.
Often stops are justified by minor equipment or
moving traffic violations that might otherwise be
ignored. At the root of the practice is racial
stereotyping.
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Discretion and Racial Profiling
Methods aimed at stopping racial profiling
include

• Racial and cultural diversity training
• Strong discipline for errant officers
• Videotaping of all traffic stops

continued
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Discretion and Racial Profiling

• Collecting data on the race of stopped motorists
  and pedestrians and the disposition of the
  encounter
• Having police officers distribute business cards
  to all motorists and pedestrians they stop

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Factors Limiting Discretion
Several methods are employed to control the
amount of discretion exercised by police officers

• Close supervision
• Policies covering behavior in certain situations,
  such as the use of force
• The threat of civil liability lawsuits

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Excessive Force
Police use force in order to control suspects.
These encounters have caused police to sometimes
use excessive force.
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excessive force
A measure of coercion beyond that necessary to
control participants in a conflict.
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Excessive Force
The persistent use of excessive force by the
police

• is unethical and criminally illegal.
• exposes the police to criminal and civil
  prosecution.
• builds up resentment by citizens against police.
• costs law enforcement agencies millions of
  dollars in legal damages.

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Deadly Force
In 1985, the U.S. Supreme Court greatly
restricted the conditions under which police can
use deadly force. Tennessee v. Garner
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Deadly Force

• The officer must believe that
• The crime for which the arrest is made involved
  conduct including the use or threatened use of
  deadly force.
• There is substantial risk that the person to be
  arrested will cause death or serious bodily harm
  if his apprehension is delayed.

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Police Corruption
Nothing is more distasteful to the public than a
police officer or a whole department gone bad.
Throughout history, police officers have bought
their positions and promotions, sold protection,
and ignored violations of the law for money.
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Police Corruption
Why is policing so susceptible to corruption?

• Police have authority to enforce law.
• Police also have the discretion to not enforce
  the law.
• Police receive relatively low pay, but have
  important responsibilities.
• Police become cynical about the courts soft
  treatment of criminals.
• Society in general is ambivalent about vice.

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Types of Corruption
The Knapp Commission in 1972 identified two kinds
of corrupt officers

• Grass eaters

• Meat eaters

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grass eaters
Officers who occasionally engage in illegal and
unethical activities, such as accepting small
favors, gifts, or money for ignoring violations
of the law during the course of their duties.
meat eaters
Officers who actively seek ways to make money
illegally while on duty.
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Types of Corruption
Ellwyn Stoddard identified a more complete list
of police misconduct

• Bribery accepting cash or gifts in exchange for
  nonenforcement of the law.
• Chiseling demanding discounts, free admission,
  and free food.
• Extortion the threat of enforcement and arrest
  if a bribe is not given.

continued
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Types of Corruption

• Favoritism giving breaks on law enforcement to
  family and friends.
• Mooching accepting free food, drinks, and
  admission to entertainment.
• Perjury lying for other officers apprehended in
  illegal activity.
• Prejudice unequal enforcement of the law with
  respect to racial and ethnic minorities.
• Premeditated theft planned burglaries and theft.

continued
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Types of Corruption

• Shakedown taking items form the scene of a theft
  or a burglary.
• Shopping taking small, inexpensive items from a
  crime scene.

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Controlling Corruption
Some of the ways to control and reduce corruption
in policing are

• High moral standards
• Police policies and discipline
• Proactive internal affairs investigations unit

• Uniform enforcement of the law
• Outside review and special prosecutors
• Court review and oversight