Ethics and Professional Code of Conduct
Ethics and Professional Code of Conduct
Ethics is the study of what is morally right, wrong, good, bad, obligatory and permissible (Arrigo & Williams, pg. 3). Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. Ethics, integrity and morality are intertwined. A chief of police is responsible for the overall command of all sworn officers and non-sworn employees in his department (Office of the Chief). Ethics and integrity are important to any job, but it is especially important for law enforcement agencies. Police officers are the first enforcers of the laws and it is important for the leaders of these officers to be of the highest ethical standard. Ethics and integrity are important for a police chief because he or she is the head of the organization and should lead by example, they set the standard for all others in the department, and they are the face of the organization.
As a leader, it is expected that the chief of police would be above reproach. A chief with a low moral compass, and lack of integrity can cause damage to his department and the community. The damage to the community can be especially harmful in cities where there is already a distrust of law enforcement. One such city is the city of Miami Gardens in the state of Florida. In December 2013, the city’s first and only police chief resigned amidst allegations that his officers have systematically committed harassment, intimidation and civil rights violations. The officers were accused of harassing patrons and workers at a local convenience store. Earl Sampson, a patron and employee of the convenience store, was stopped over 419 times by officers in the past fiver years. He was cited for trespassing and on one occasion was hauled out of the store for trespassing while working (Police Chief Resigns Amid Scandal). In early 2013 the owner of the convenience store, Alex Selah, filed a complaint against the Miami Gardens police department. His complaint only
Ethics is the study of what is morally right, wrong, good, bad, obligatory and permissible (Arrigo & Williams, pg. 3). Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. Ethics, integrity and morality are intertwined. A chief of police is responsible for the overall command of all sworn officers and non-sworn employees in his department (Office of the Chief). Ethics and integrity are important to any job, but it is especially important for law enforcement agencies. Police officers are the first enforcers of the laws and it is important for the leaders of these officers to be of the highest ethical standard. Ethics and integrity are important for a police chief because he or she is the head of the organization and should lead by example, they set the standard for all others in the department, and they are the face of the organization.
As a leader, it is expected that the chief of police would be above reproach. A chief with a low moral compass, and lack of integrity can cause damage to his department and the community. The damage to the community can be especially harmful in cities where there is already a distrust of law enforcement. One such city is the city of Miami Gardens in the state of Florida. In December 2013, the city’s first and only police chief resigned amidst allegations that his officers have systematically committed harassment, intimidation and civil rights violations. The officers were accused of harassing patrons and workers at a local convenience store. Earl Sampson, a patron and employee of the convenience store, was stopped over 419 times by officers in the past fiver years. He was cited for trespassing and on one occasion was hauled out of the store for trespassing while working (Police Chief Resigns Amid Scandal). In early 2013 the owner of the convenience store, Alex Selah, filed a complaint against the Miami Gardens police department. His complaint only