A QUestion of Ethics
Suppose you are faced with a difficult decision, that could affect your career, how would you decide what to do? In this case, that is exactly Office Jorge Perez had to do. As soon as he could, Officer Perez took an opening that he could not resist, in the well-off district of a large city. During his first month on the job, he caught three teenagers wrecking mailboxes and fiddling with the mail in them. After arresting the kids, an officer pulled him to the side and told him “they do things differently around here.”
Although Officer Perez, being a “rookie” to a new civic, he should listen to the other officer, who has been there longer than he has at this point, and let the juveniles free with a warning and have the guardians pay for the damages. Meanwhile, the damages will have to be paid for, with or without a confrontation. However, to maintain his authority, I believe the vandals should walk away with charges, because they should not get away with something that is a federal offense. Again, they do deserve some kind of punishment, whether it is community service, a fine or even educate them. Either by Perez telling them wrong from right, or sending them off to a class. To emphasize, the ethics of police behavior depend on the style of policing used in a specific community. For example, not charging a criminal, but letting him walk the streets and continuing to do the crime, because an officer believes they are not doing something wrong affects the community.
In fact, in some communities they have more money, which means the criminals can afford a great lawyer, and can walk. On the other hand, in a deprived community, they have an attorney assigned to them that does not really care for their case. All in all, it is the officer’s own discretion, to make the choice he thinks is right. “The subculture of the police helps define the “cop’s world” and each officer’s role in it.” (Cole 115). Especially, being a police officer, you are a subculture, it is your
Although Officer Perez, being a “rookie” to a new civic, he should listen to the other officer, who has been there longer than he has at this point, and let the juveniles free with a warning and have the guardians pay for the damages. Meanwhile, the damages will have to be paid for, with or without a confrontation. However, to maintain his authority, I believe the vandals should walk away with charges, because they should not get away with something that is a federal offense. Again, they do deserve some kind of punishment, whether it is community service, a fine or even educate them. Either by Perez telling them wrong from right, or sending them off to a class. To emphasize, the ethics of police behavior depend on the style of policing used in a specific community. For example, not charging a criminal, but letting him walk the streets and continuing to do the crime, because an officer believes they are not doing something wrong affects the community.
In fact, in some communities they have more money, which means the criminals can afford a great lawyer, and can walk. On the other hand, in a deprived community, they have an attorney assigned to them that does not really care for their case. All in all, it is the officer’s own discretion, to make the choice he thinks is right. “The subculture of the police helps define the “cop’s world” and each officer’s role in it.” (Cole 115). Especially, being a police officer, you are a subculture, it is your
References: Cole, G.F. & Smith, C.E. (2011) Criminal Justice in America. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth "COPS Ethics and Integrity Training." The International Association of Chiefs of Police IACP Homepage. Web. 09 Feb. 2012. http://www.theiacp.org/PoliceServices/ExecutiveServices/ProfessionalAssistance/Ethics/- ReportsResources/COPSEthicsandIntegrityTraining/tabid/179/Default.aspx J. Ruiz and C. Bono, "At What Price a 'Freebie '? The Real Cost of Police Gratuities," Criminal Justice Ethics, January 2004, 44-53. http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/law-enforcement-bulletin/may_2011/law_enforcement_professionalism