264 lines
13 KiB
Plaintext
264 lines
13 KiB
Plaintext
January 1991
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POINT OF VIEW
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REDEDICATING OURSELVES TO
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LEADERSHIP AND ETHICS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
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By
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Vane R. King
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Lieutenant
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Flint, Michigan, Police Department
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"Our problem is not to find better values but to be
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faithful to those we profess." John Gardner
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Corruption, drug abuse, conduct unbecoming an
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officer--these are just a few of the dangerous and troubling
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situations that could challenge law enforcement professionals as
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they strive to meet their responsibilities in today's rapidly
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changing and highly intricate social environment.
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Unfortunately, just as the criminal activity law enforcement
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officers are sworn to combat grows more violent and
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sophisticated, clear ethical codes of conduct are not always
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stressed by today's police leadership. To be sure, many
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departments emphasize ethics and even offer special training in
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this area, but the modern temptations facing today's officers
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require a rededication to basic ethical behavior by both street
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officers and police managers.
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Ethical issues and values are most certainly not a new
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concern in law enforcement. However, they have never before
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been so publicized nor have the stakes involved been so high.
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As Patrick V. Murphy, former New York City Police Commissioner,
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notes, "Corruption, brutality, racial discrimination, improper
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political interference, unequal enforcement, bribery, and
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gratuities can appear to be commonplace. The cost of unethical
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conduct by police is high--an excess of preventable crime, a low
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level of respect for the police, and a loss of citizen
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cooperation on which police effectiveness depends." (1)
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Because aberrant police behavior results in shattered lives
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and an erosion of public confidence and support, ethical
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concerns in policing remain great. Officers and managers alike
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are expected to perform their duties in a wide variety of
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interpersonal situations where values and ethics are of
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tantamount importance. Functioning with minimal supervision and
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little time for reflection, they are required to make complex
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and crucial decisions, many of which are irrevocable, (2) during
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highly emotional, fast-moving, stressful situations. In time,
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values and ethics may denigrate, and the prolonged effects of
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this can be harmful and far-reaching. And because police
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officers continue to face ethical questions, administrators must
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positively impact on their ability to deal with these ethical
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entanglements.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
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In 1956, the National Conference of Police Associations,
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representing approximately 200,000 police officers, and the
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International Association of Chiefs of Police adopted the Law
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Enforcement Code of Ethics. Leaders in law enforcement, as well
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as rank-and-file officers throughout the Nation, offered their
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suggestions and participated in its formulation. This code of
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ethics offered solutions to many of the police officer's
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everyday problems.
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But times have changed, and according to various media
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sources, so have police officers, not so much with regard to
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their collective values, but to their faithfulness to those
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values. Many outside law enforcement view the police as having
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"doughnut shop ethics." As Bruce Benson and Gil Skinner wrote,
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"Police think nothing of accepting `harmless' gratuities--the
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free coffee, the half-price meals, `badging' their way into a
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movie." (3) Unfortunately, tomorrow (or is it today?) these
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same officers may think little of payoffs, ripoffs, and
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assaults. By starting off small, they can lose control and
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allow themselves to go too far. The local headlines tell the
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story. The question then becomes, "What can be done to
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positively influence an officer's ability to deal with ethical
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entanglements?"
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LEADERSHIP ROLE
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To begin, law enforcement managers must provide an
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atmosphere conducive to proper value judgments by their
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officers, especially during those situations where the outcome
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is based on discretion. To accomplish this goal, they must
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nurture a more highly developed sense of ethical responsibility
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and an inner code of ethics.
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Police leaders set the moral tone of the department;
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therefore, they are obligated to set an ethical example for
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others to follow. Whether they want to accept it or not, top
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management serves as a key reference point for all subordinates.
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If the truth be known, "...ethical standards drop rapidly when
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employees see their supervisors engage in questionable
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managerial practices. What is needed more than anything else is
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leadership." (4)
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While police leaders control the working environment and
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serve as role models, they must also educate personnel in sound
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decisionmaking practices. Police officers may misdefine their
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roles. Therefore, it is up to managers to evaluate what the
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public expects and to communicate clearly and inculcate values
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to their staffs--fairness, honesty, reliability, and
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accountability. (5)
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Motivation
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Managers must begin with self-motivation. The key is the
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dedication and sacrifice that are required and demanded from the
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professional police officer. Professional law enforcement is no
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place for the officer whose philosophy in life is "What's in it
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for me?" Satisfaction in law enforcement must come from doing
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the job to the best of one's individual abilities and not be
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solely dependent upon the final outcome.
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As the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics points out, the
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mission and duty of law enforcement is to protect and serve.
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The code addresses many issues, including human and
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constitutional rights, prejudice, conduct unbecoming an officer,
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physical assault, compliance with laws and regulations,
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protection of confidential information, attitude, appearance,
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values, fairness, unnecessary force, public trust, public faith,
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and being true to the ethics of police service.
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Unfortunately, there is no practical way to measure the
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effect that ethics codes have on personnel, (6) even though codes
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"serve as a living document of organizational standards and
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provide direction in decisionmaking." (7) But without individual
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beliefs, values, and commitment, these codes are only words,
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ideas, goals, and philosophies--ideas that are easy to vocalize
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but hard to implement. However, "codes can play a useful role
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in reminding those tempted by misconduct of the shared goals of
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the profession." (8)
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Law enforcement administrators can use codes to clarify what
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is meant by ethical conduct. Then, by using these codes, they
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motivate employees to be "faithful" to themselves and their
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profession.
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Integrity
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The quality most admired at every level of an organization
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is integrity, followed closely by competence. These are
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essential characteristics of effective leadership that influence
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attitude, as well as behavior. Therefore, police managers must
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be firmly committed to personal integrity.
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At times, sticking to this commitment is difficult.
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However, doing so is likely to be more than its own reward.
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People will follow more readily one whose values are clear,
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consistent, principled, and fair. (9)
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Top administrators not only set the environment for the
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department through example but also through compliance. To be
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effective, they must be willing and able to discipline violators
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of ethical standards. Inaction by the administration
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constitutes approval of the individual's behavior, hurts
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employee morale, and weakens public confidence.(10)
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Education and Training
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Police leaders should also use education and training to
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set the proper ethics and value mode into perpetual motion. By
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defining jobs, telling people what is expected of them, and
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giving feedback, managers minimize uncertainties, avoid
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repeating traditional unethical practices, and ensure that
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assignments, evaluations, promotions, and hirings are meted out
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in a systematic fashion.
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If officers are given the proper education and training,
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they have received the tools to do their jobs. But, they need
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more than theory. They need up-to-date practical application,
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experience, and knowledge.
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With proper research and application, answers to the
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majority of unethical situations faced by police officers can be
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developed and incorporated into training programs. "In order to
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challenge the contemporary officer's thinking about moral values
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and ethical conduct, the police profession needs to incorporate
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law enforcement ethics directly into the training provided all
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personnel. Such instruction should begin during recruit training
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and continue through short-term seminars to management programs
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and courses." (11) As leaders provide position reinforcement for
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theory to become reality, ethics will be kept at the forefront of
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training and left open for discussion at all levels. When
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wrestling with real-world moral dilemmas, group discussions and
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the advice and counsel from others can heighten moral
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reasoning. (12)
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CONCLUSION
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Today, there is perhaps more sensitivity about ethics and
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personal conduct in the law enforcement field than ever before.
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The profession has matured, but much is left to be done. Law
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enforcement must be prepared to combat a new level of
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temptation, where the rewards for "selling out" can be great
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and general social codes have become more relaxed.
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Police leaders must develop an ethical environment that
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eliminates public suspicion and lessens employee temptation--one
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that creates faith and confidence in a justice system that is
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fair and just for all. More importantly, they must set the moral
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standards and tone of their individual departments, lead by
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example, and initiate and promote ethics training and education.
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Police leaders must challenge and develop law enforcement
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thinking in terms of moral values and ethical conduct by
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communicating and supporting realistic approaches to ethical
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dilemmas. As Patrick Murphy noted, "With strong leadership from
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top police executives and a firm commitment to making policing a
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full-fledged profession, we can go a long way toward providing
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police officers with the sensitivity and insight they need to
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meet the ethical demands of the important positions of public
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trust they hold." (13) Today, law enforcement does not need to
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find better values, but we do need to rededicate ourselves to
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leadership and ethics and the basic values of our profession.
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FOOTNOTES
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(1) Patrick V. Murphy, "Ethical Issues on Policing,"
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Criminal Justice Ethics, vol. 4, No. 2, Summer/Fall 1985.
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(2) Interpersonal Communications Training Program, Lansing,
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Michigan, Community College, November 1975.
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(3) Bruce L. Benson and Gilbert H. Skinner, "Doughnut Shop
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Ethics: There are Answers," The Police Chief, December 1988,
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pp. 32-33.
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(4) James Bowman, ed., Essentials of Management: Ethical
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Values, Attitudes and Actions (Port Washington, N. Y.:
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Associated Faculty Press, 1983).
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(5) Supra note 1, p. 95.
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(6) Donald R. Cressey and Charles A. Moore, "Managerial
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Values and Corporate Codes of Ethics," California Management
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Review, vol. 25, No. 4, Summer 1983.
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(7) Harold W. Metz, "An Ethical Model For Law Enforcement
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Administrators," Justice Profession, vol. 1, No. 2, Fall 1986,
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p. 74.
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(8) William Heffernan, "Two Approaches to Police Ethics,"
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Criminal Justice Review, p. 32.
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(9) Barry Posner and Warren Schmidt, "Values and the American
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Manager: An Update," California Management Review, vol. XXVI,
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No. 3, Spring 1984, p. 215.
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(10) Supra note 7, p. 75.
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(11) Supra note 7, p. 76.
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(12) Supra note 1, p. 95.
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(13) Ibid. p. 96.
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