Article Review cjus300
Article Review: Gottschalk
Liberty University
Overview
Our society has become corrupt at each level, and the police force is no exception. While most officers are committed to maintaining honor and integrity in their service to the public, there will be crime or misconduct among both female and male officers (Gottschalk, 2011). Police officers should be upholding the image of sacrifice, dignity, and overall competency (Gottschalk, 2011). Unfortunately, corruption can happen and add distrust amongst the public toward the public service of police officers. These actions of misconduct can include oppression, racial profiling, physical or emotional abuse of power, overall mistreatment of citizens or prisoners in their care, extortion, misuse of information or perjury, and overall manipulation (Gottschalk, 2011). There are many reasons why someone would abuse their level of power that comes along with the position of being a police officer. One of the main problems could be their level of training with those in control or management positions, or merely the lack of being held accountable for actions. A police officer may think they are above the law because of their badge, and grow a false sense of allowable actions. Gottschalk (2011) lists traits of officers that tend to have grandiose thoughts or actions that are outside their lawful duties. These personality traits or behaviors stated include overall misguided thoughts, greedy, putting self in place of isolation socially or professionally, staying silent about peers committing injustices, insubordination or lack of corroboration in general, and lack of respect for the badge, position, fellow officers, or the public people overall (Gottschalk, 2011). These characteristics of personality put the officer in a place to take more than they give, and have personal gain over public service and heart of giving. It could be possible the way in which they were trained at that precinct allowed these
Liberty University
Overview
Our society has become corrupt at each level, and the police force is no exception. While most officers are committed to maintaining honor and integrity in their service to the public, there will be crime or misconduct among both female and male officers (Gottschalk, 2011). Police officers should be upholding the image of sacrifice, dignity, and overall competency (Gottschalk, 2011). Unfortunately, corruption can happen and add distrust amongst the public toward the public service of police officers. These actions of misconduct can include oppression, racial profiling, physical or emotional abuse of power, overall mistreatment of citizens or prisoners in their care, extortion, misuse of information or perjury, and overall manipulation (Gottschalk, 2011). There are many reasons why someone would abuse their level of power that comes along with the position of being a police officer. One of the main problems could be their level of training with those in control or management positions, or merely the lack of being held accountable for actions. A police officer may think they are above the law because of their badge, and grow a false sense of allowable actions. Gottschalk (2011) lists traits of officers that tend to have grandiose thoughts or actions that are outside their lawful duties. These personality traits or behaviors stated include overall misguided thoughts, greedy, putting self in place of isolation socially or professionally, staying silent about peers committing injustices, insubordination or lack of corroboration in general, and lack of respect for the badge, position, fellow officers, or the public people overall (Gottschalk, 2011). These characteristics of personality put the officer in a place to take more than they give, and have personal gain over public service and heart of giving. It could be possible the way in which they were trained at that precinct allowed these