NCJ Number
166504
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 63 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1996) Pages: 38-40
Date Published
1996
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article examines findings of a Florida study of the way ethics instruction is provided to law enforcement officers.
Abstract
Police officers' decisions are guided by the law; department policies, rules and regulations; the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics; and group practices, also known as unwritten rules. However, no set of rules and regulations can prescribe what to do in every possible circumstance, and then discretionary decisionmaking is required. Discretionary decisionmaking that involves ethical considerations invariably requires value judgments. Developing officers' capacity to make those judgments would seem to be the key to law enforcement education and training in ethics. Research suggests that augmenting the basic law enforcement training program with a new approach to ethical awareness such as a valuemetrics course will enhance police officers' ability to recognize ethical issues, develop ethical analysis skills and strengthen their determination and ability to maintain high ethical standards. These improvements will result in better leadership and professionalism in law enforcement, enhanced accomplishment of the police mission and a more favorable public image.