In changing various strategies of police organization, it’s mainly influenced by the culture of police and ethics that they practice. In studying police culture is mainly based on three assumption:- culture of police and Nature of their work, culture usually become stable over a period of time and its uniform to all police; culture usually creates a negative impact on the policing of United States especially their relationship with the minority communities. Police culture has quite a number of negative aspects such as monolithic, immutable and its usually isolated from the external influence. In order to judge the practices of police, one should base his or her investigations on the interactions in various structural conditions of their work and cultural knowledge exercised by police officers which mainly involve past experience.
The greatest challenge faced in Law enforcement in United State is establishing and following of ethical standards for police. Problem of police ethic has increased drastically in recent years than before. This problem should be solved by police personnel who should be addressed by police in various levels from chief police to new recruits so that they can ensure this ethical problem facing police is finally solved.
Police ethics mainly ranges from single aspects such as police accepting free cup of coffee from someone in a restaurant. These ethical standards run far beyond than that. When these ethical issues are lowered almost all the part of the police operation is affected which creates a problem in completing their daily missions to the community. In case there is no integrity in a given department, personnel professional competence is adversely lowered.
Failure to have these ethics put in place, police usually result to corruption in various departments, inevitability, brutality, lawlessness by police officers to the community. When these acts are created by an individual police, due to focus by media the member of the community judges, the whole police department as the one which has created entire mess.
In United State, many of the police officers are aware of problems that department of policing is facing worldwide due to lack of culture and ethical aspects of police. In various departments, police executives in United State are trying all they can to make significant change so that the police can increase their level of professional ethics improve their personal morals and increase the integrity of the department. For example, in United State quite a number of departments have come up with, various ways of drafting and promulgating code of ethics so that they can use them in their department to increase the affectivity of their personnel. In other departments, they have tried to deal with the issue by drafting statement of value for department which can be used as basis of problem solving within the department.
Brutality corruption and inefficiency in United State policing have showed a drastic decrease. They had various reforms which were meant to bring the police to some reasonable form of political and community accountability so that corruption can finally end.
During professionalism of police era in United State, most of police officers were faced with decreasing ability to deal with crime due to lack of ethical standards and diminishing use of culture in this department. Professionalism in policing basically has two substantial meanings:- Traditionally professionalism mean basic sense of integrity, honest, adherence to code of ethics standards and conduct of police. In modern era, professional policing mainly entails being honest and exercising integrity since its involved in serving community and to respect human rights in those communities. Police must be move effective in their work. These two meanings are exercised in regard to crime rate in a given area. Traditional method is most applicable in areas with low crime rates as far as police will be respectful and honest. In high crime rate areas, traditional professionalism will just add marginal benefit since its not quite effective.
Policing should show great variety of experience and professionalism in dealing with their work. In United State variety is also strength since the democracy of the state demands local control. It also allows innovation and boost compensation in potential suppliers of police services in all the levels of government ranging from federal to local.
Police services in United State, are hesitating on adopting various principles in regard to professionalism which can consequently lead to state signification. Police officers in United State are well trained and they are taught as skills so that they can be able to handle various crime levels. Main challenges in many policing department is on ways that they will come up with expanded sense of professionalism. This problem affects also the community at large since lack of professionalism means that services are not well delivered to them.
Many police departments in United State have suffered a lot of corruption despite of them being given good wages. An example of a department in United State i.e. big-city department tried to fight off corruption from their department which they finally overcame and consequently they were rewarded with good salaries which were boosted from low levels.
In that department, police culture which was the main facilitator of corruption underwent drastic changes which helped in dealing with corruption. Most of the police systems in United State are usually driven by public demand which stimulate inculcation of professionalism in police sector. People can have access to police at any time by calling them 911 which is the emergency number and they respond immediately.
Achieving professionalism which is quite needed in policing it takes step wise motion to attain the level of professionalism that will be acceptable by most of the individuals within the community. Due to a certain level of professionalism in police today, it’s noted that they can provide required safety to the community by ensuring that respects for human right is maintained which make them to deal with the crime to the best of their ability which portrays professionalism and digitization.
Therefore, professionalism should be enhanced efficiently to help police to serve the community without inculcating culture in their work and ensuring that they are following good ethical standards for good public service and reduction of crime levels in communities.
Responsibilities of police in Untied State are determined by the job description of each sector. Responsibilities are roles played by police in carrying out their daily duties since most of the people depend on police officers and various detective in protecting their lives and properties. In federal they have special agents or inspectors who perform their work depending on size and type of the organization they are in.
Uniformed police officers mainly does the work of law enforcement duties live ensuring that regular patrols are carrying out their duties and responding to various calls which demands for their services. In various scenes of accidents they direct traffic, investigate various cases of burglary and offer first aid services to victims of the accident. In case of large police departments, officers have their specific duties which they should carry out. An urban police agency mobilizes public so that they can help in fighting crimes within the community.
State police officers mainly takes the responsibility of arresting criminals within the state and in carrying out regular patrols in highways so that they can enforce motor vehicles regulation and law governing general traffic. They issue traffic citations to motorists. In case an accident has occurred, this group can offer first aid, direct traffic and also call for emergency services to help secure the victims of the accident. They also make a report in regard to the cause of the accident. They lenders assistance to other law enforcing bodies in small towns and also in rural areas when need arise.
In United State, there is a special branch of police which deals with law in regard to illegal drugs called United State drug enforcement administration (Ron, 2008)
This body deals with illegal smuggling of drugs in United States and also those who trade with illegal drugs. It coordinates and pursues various investigations in United State in regard to the drug investigation board. They usually carry out complex criminal investigations, surveillance and discover illicit drug organizations by use of various techniques such as undercover techniques.
A group of United State Marshall usually carries out the duty of protecting Federal Court and ensuring that judicial system is carried out effectively they usually protect federal judicially, transport prisoners, witnesses and manage various assets received from criminal enterprises. They also, arrest and pursue federal fugitives.
Detectives are police officers in plain clothes who gather information and collect various evidences in cases of criminology. They conduct specific types of crimes. They carry out various investigations on suspect and arrest the culprit. They investigate various violations such as homicide, suicide, frauds and other crimes.
Another group deals with wildlife which they usually conduct various search to control illegal killing of wildlife in United State.
The Federal bureau of investigation controls all the investigations of the government like the violation of various laws and conducts. They carry out various investigations on national security. Integrity in police department basically reveals their different ideas of governance information, experience in work and research in all aspects of their works for good governance. Policing in United State is mainly decentralized. It has a big number of independent police agencies. Decentralization is mainly enhanced due to lack of trust with the power of national governance and also believes that local police are held responsible of local needs if they are controlled by the local government. United State police usually responds in a polite manner of the concern of local people that they serve.
Police corruption is mainly abusing the police officers for one’s own gain which is one of the areas used to test police integrity in United State. Not all the departments are held responsible for these misconducts or corruption. Various police agencies are used to monitor and control those behaviors of the officers. Difference in extend of corruption by police agencies can be used as a basic to categorize them. Various departments of United State have maintained a high degree of honesty throughout their lives which has made them to enjoy good reputation.
In dealing with police integrity some aspects such as questions of facts or opinion which are supposed to be explored directly which usually direct inquiries on corruption behavior Goals and various visions of police integrity reveals characteristics of individual approach to cultural understanding corruption. (Klockrars, Ivkovic, Herberfeld 2003 Pg 269)
Police integrity can be viewed as area where all morally defective individuals have been removed. In measuring the extent of occupational culture in police integrity questionnaires are usually designed which shows the dimension of culture organization of integrity. Police agencies in United State are usually received from across the nations. Since United Stat policing is decentralized, there are quite a number of differences in the environment of integrity based on various agencies. These entities helps in regulating behavior of employee in regained boundaries, enforce standards of behavior that is accepted, punish those who violates official rules and also they are the divergence of social and political areas.
Police integrity was not easy to establish in United State but unlike in the case of corruption, police integrity has resulted to measurement (Klockrar’s, Ivkovic, Herbefeld 2003 P. 280). Integrity can be measured in the environment basing on their ability to result temptations or abuse of office. United State, usually have the Stella integrity and those without environmental integrity. Cultural measure of integrity can be measured in three levels-By estimating seriousness of misconduct measuring its appropriate discipline and finally by measuring their willingness to report it.
Police are usually agents or agencies whose main duty in United State is to enforce law and ensure that public and social orders are affected by legitimized use of force. In United State police department are authorized to use power within defined territories. In United State law enforcement constitutes quite a small portion of policing activities but the main duty of police mainly involves maintenance and provision of different services in regard to their various responsibilities that they are supposed to take part in.
Police in United State are not mandated to hold any criminal suspect for a period of time exceeding 72 hours before they are aligned, using torture in order to get evidence or use of force during arrest. Different departments deal with different law enforcing agencies. Therefore the main duty of police in Untied States is ensuring that law is enforced in an appropriate manner taking into consideration that they are serving the nation. Senior police officers do not accept excessive use of force in arresting criminals within the state. They also carry out duties in maintaining traffic along the highways whereby they can use traffic patrol or other measures of ensuring that order is maintained on roads.
There are other groups which deal with natural resources of the country such as ensuring that marine life is protected, no poaching of wildlife excessively and maintaining other natural resources such as forest. These different departments of police ensure that each area of their duty is well taken care of. Therefore, duties of police in United State depend merely on their department.
Ethical behaviors of employees in most of the criminal justice system in United State are quite critical to the performance of the system. Ethical issues are norms which are usually studied by police officers. Police ethics can be investigated by coming up with issues which are regarded to as ethical or unethical behavior. In this case ethical behavior in police can be determined by the fact of whether the police officers report on misconduct is influenced by an individual character.
There are various definitions of ethical behavior which usually vary from culture to culture and changes in generation. Basically to have ethical behavior basically entails the following; honesty, integrity, loyalty, fairness, courage and so on. In policing ethical behavior encompasses those behaviors that guides the police on their choice and action and it usually determine their purpose and course of live. Police officers should ensure that they follow these ethical issues since a lot of respect and trust is given to them by the general public that they serve.
Trust comes when an officer is fully aware of oath and code of the ethics. United State constitution is the one that gives oath to police which allows them to practice their ethical standards. This construction usually holds the police officers illegible for the actions that they commit whether good or bad.
Police professional have their code of ethics which were written and therefore they have to always adhere to them. This allows police officers to take oath of performing their duties. Various police agencies usually foster ethical values to their employees so that they can perform their tasks well.
Therefore, these ethical issues in regards to culture and practices of the police should be used in their work. Culture based ethics usually is important since it helps individuals and groups. Ethics usually serves as foundation of professionalism.
Work Cited
Klockars B., Ivkovic S., Heberfeld R., 2003, the Contour of Police Integrity. United State: SAGE, pg 265-305.
Ron P., 2008, Job Descriptions, Roles and Responsibility: Police and Detectives, Web.