Police Policy

Police Policy

Law enforcement officers are tasked with the duty of maintaining law and order in a community. The work of the police is not easy and requires the collaboration of the officers with the members of the community. The partnership can be essential in intelligence gathering through which the officers can bring criminals out of circulation and deter potential criminals from committing additional crimes. When it comes to making police policies, several ethical conflicts can be experienced, as seen below.

Law enforcement officers face ethical conflicts when they find themselves in a position where they have to uphold the law. An officer can face a moral conflict when it comes to data-driven policing. For instance, the fact that the majority of crime-related drugs are reported in a black neighborhood does not necessarily mean that whites do not engage in drug-related crimes (Patton, Sawicki & Clark, 2015). When white individuals are found in possession of drugs like cocaine, they are likely to face imprisonment, which can make them lose their jobs and get separated from their families. However, a police officer cannot consider the above factors to avoid violating the law.

In the recent past, there has been an increase in the number of reported cases accusing the police of excessive use of force. Although community policing has been embraced to improve the relationship between the community members and the police, police are forced to apply force in specific situations (Weimer & Vining, 2017). Police officers have the legal right to apply the necessary force to maintain law and order in the community. When forced to use force, the lives of the officers can be put in danger and especially when dealing with hardcore criminals.  Police officers are therefore compelled to take their time and make critical decisions on the amount of force necessary and errors can result in injury or death of the officer. Organizations like the Black Lives Matter seek to hold police officers accountable for their actions.

To overcome the different ethical conflicts that police officers face in their areas of operations, there is a dire need for them to receive training on critical decision making in their place of work. The ability to make moral decisions among police officers can make it possible for them to deal with criminals who commit different crimes. For instance, a police officer who finds a white individual in possession of illegal drugs can make the right decision based on the laws of the land as opposed to personal feelings (Weimer & Vining, 2017). Also, effective decision making can make it easier for police officers to avoid instances of excessive use of force when dealing with suspects. Training in procedural justice can play an essential role in improving an officer’s communication skills when dealing with victims of crime through which their interaction can be improved. Improving the interaction between the two parties can be essential in the correction of evidence.

Conflict resolution training can also be essential in dealing with ethical conflicts among police officers. Law enforcement officers can realize the amount of force they are supposed to use when they find themselves in certain situations (Patton, Sawicki & Clark, 2015). Through this, they can avoid the instance of injuring and killing others and also keep themselves safe from potential injuries and deaths.

In conclusion, police officers face a myriad of ethical conflicts in their places of work. There is a dire need for increased training to help these individuals avoid disputes related to excessive use of force.

References

Patton, C., Sawicki, D., & Clark, J. (2015). Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning–Pearson eText. Routledge.

Weimer, D. L., & Vining, A. R. (2017). Policy analysis: Concepts and practice. Taylor & Francis.

Police Policy

Description

Ethical evaluation of policies is an important area that needs to be addressed as part of the policy analysis process. Several ethical concepts and assumptions that might be addressed in a policy analysis include:

·         autonomy,

·         privacy,

·         beneficence,

·         justice,

·         nonmaleficence,

·         fidelity, and

·         accountability.

Please present a criminal justice policy case study in which you apply ethical concepts and assumptions to identify and evaluate ethical conflicts. Next, present ideas for resolving these conflicts.

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