NCJ Number
142673
Date Published
1991
Length
40 pages
Annotation
Law enforcement has found itself at the center of controversy and debate because of brutality charges against the Los Angeles Police Department in the Rodney King case, but police departments can take definitive steps to eliminate brutality and corruption.
Abstract
Police academies should offer ethics courses to encourage professional competence in all areas of police work. Ethics training should be provided to both new police recruits and on an inservice basis. In addition, police departments should emphasize the importance of integrity, being the same person in public and private, and the value of wisdom in assessing individual strengths and weaknesses. Police corruption does exist, especially as related to drugs, and media coverage has accentuated such corruption. Corruption also extends to brutality and abuse of authority. In order to prevent corruption and brutality, police departments should recognize that policing has a social context and involves personal and moral responsibility and effective leadership. 38 footnotes