The militarization and the use of force by police came under intense public scrutiny when a black male was shot dead by a police officer in Ferguson, MO, in 2014 (p. 28). This sparked heated debate among the general public, decision-makers, and academics. Goal misalignment between the community and police occurred as a result of militarized police starting to view themselves as armies battling on the front lines of war instead as public servants.
Is Giving Others the Questions on The Exam an Ethical Violation?
Giving other students exam questions is unethical because it gives those students an unfair edge over the other pupils. The test’s results wouldn’t accurately represent the students’ actual skills. It is not always immoral to become knowledgeable about interview questions when it comes to sharing police interview questions. However, it is not favorable to the interviewee and may even work against them because it may be perceived as unethical and cheating because it violates standards of fairness and candor.
Seven Types of Corruption Noted in the Text (35-36)
- Kickbacks
- Opportunistic theft
- Shakedowns
- Protection of illegal activities
- The traffic fix
- The misdemeanor fix
- Direct criminal activities
When Whistle Blowing is Ethically Justified
Bowie contends that there is a moral case for whistleblowing when a number of circumstances have been shown (p. 48). The ethical duty to behave responsibly and take responsibility for one’s conduct, including disclosing misconduct in the best interests of the firm and its stakeholders, should always take precedence over loyalty. When they feel that keeping quiet will cause the whistle-blower more harm than benefit, law-abiding people blow the whistle.
A Real-Life Example of Direct Criminal Activities
When a police officer steals from a suspect, victim, or corpse, then that is an instance of direct criminal activity (p. 36). Examples include stealing personal items from a corpse at a crime scene or taking drugs for private use during a drug bust.
Theory behind the Idea That a Corrupt Officer Will Grow More Corrupt
The “slippery slope” theory postulates those dishonest people who work in enforcement agencies are more likely to commit crimes in the future. According to the “slippery slope” idea, permitting police to take gratuities of any kind exposes them to corruption. A police recruit’s work environment was a source of temptation (p. 41).
Reference
Police ethics: The nature of policing and police corruption. pp. 17-54