Ethics In Policing

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Pages: 6

To Be or to Not Be Held Ethically Responsible

Looking for what one may believe is the right leader or even just a basic guide on how to do what is morally and ethically right to any organization is key to success, however, knowing the difference between ethics and morality is also key. One cannot simply bring his or her personal morals into his or her job or career and say, “this is simply how things will be, or how things will be handled,” because not everyone is going to have the same moral beliefs or moral compass. By knowing what ethics in the work place and what his or her leadership has put out as the ethical code of conduct, enable officers to be more effective in his or her job. “Ethical leadership concepts and models provide standards
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As a police officer they are being held to a higher standard than the public is, one of biggest parts of their duties as an officer is to be “above reproach” both on and off duty. When the police are perceived to be operating to be ethical, the community is more likely to be open and ethical when dealing with them. This includes working together on crime prevention. There is a belief that ethical training is important because ethics training helps to emphasizes the importance of thinking before acting, particularly developing impulse control, especially in challenging or tempting circumstances. Now just merely complying with applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures is not necessarily enough to avoid liability, partly because these constraints do not cover every conceivable situation that might arise. Police leaders should want to instill organizational ethics for many reasons, it is a good tool that can help to accommodate the range of motivations, or agencies that can be used as constraints and restraints to manage behavior. Programs that promote accountability (external constraints, such as early intervention systems and internal investigations units) and encourage responsibility (internal restraints) complement any ethics training effort. A good ethics training program can provide tools so a person can make the right decision, and an agency can create a climate in which ethical actions are possible. Nevertheless, the individual must provide the courage to act on the right decision (Holden,