Police Ethics
Many questions can arise when dealing with law enforcement issues. This paper looks to scratch the surface on four of these questions. These questions were answer with my own personal opinions and won’t be found anywhere else but here.
How has terrorism impacted the police mission in the U.S.? What disagreements exist regarding the appropriate law enforcement behavior which fights terrorism but maintains personal liberties?
I feel that since 9/11, the use of police departments have slightly shifted. For example, police departments have had to dig their heels in and provide defensive or “security” services instead of going out on the offensive, preventing crime. Police now have to balance their staff and budgets between providing security for sporting events, concerts, political events, and high profile individuals. Populated buildings like malls and government buildings can also be targets of terrorism so they too must be protected by law enforcement.
Finding extra officers to work these different events can be difficult. The police departments can still go on the offensive, but must watch how they go about handling certain situations. In some cases, they must profile individuals or groups in order to find certain facts and people. Everybody has their own idea of what a terrorist looks like whether you think you do or not. After 9/11, many Americans felt weary to fly with people of Arab descent on the same plane. Why? Because Arab’s were the faces that were seen during 9/11, so it comes naturally to profile this group of people. Some people say this is an infringement on a person’s personal liberties, but I see it as necessary to keep Americans safe. It may sound bad, but the government has had to put forth actions that may take away personal freedoms in order to protect the country as a whole.
What role does social stigma play in police ethics? Give specific examples from your reading or your experiences where social stigma played a role in either
How has terrorism impacted the police mission in the U.S.? What disagreements exist regarding the appropriate law enforcement behavior which fights terrorism but maintains personal liberties?
I feel that since 9/11, the use of police departments have slightly shifted. For example, police departments have had to dig their heels in and provide defensive or “security” services instead of going out on the offensive, preventing crime. Police now have to balance their staff and budgets between providing security for sporting events, concerts, political events, and high profile individuals. Populated buildings like malls and government buildings can also be targets of terrorism so they too must be protected by law enforcement.
Finding extra officers to work these different events can be difficult. The police departments can still go on the offensive, but must watch how they go about handling certain situations. In some cases, they must profile individuals or groups in order to find certain facts and people. Everybody has their own idea of what a terrorist looks like whether you think you do or not. After 9/11, many Americans felt weary to fly with people of Arab descent on the same plane. Why? Because Arab’s were the faces that were seen during 9/11, so it comes naturally to profile this group of people. Some people say this is an infringement on a person’s personal liberties, but I see it as necessary to keep Americans safe. It may sound bad, but the government has had to put forth actions that may take away personal freedoms in order to protect the country as a whole.
What role does social stigma play in police ethics? Give specific examples from your reading or your experiences where social stigma played a role in either