NCJ Number
118680
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 37 Issue: 5 Dated: (May 1989) Pages: 31-33
Date Published
1989
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Serious problems arise when police officers in the same supervisory chain become personally and emotionally involved.
Abstract
Personal relationships within police departments can be unethical and can adversely affect the morale of coworkers. Although morale is a big performance factor in any occupation, it is extremely important in law enforcement because of the stressful nature of police work and the interdependence of police officers. In instances of fraternization involving a supervisory-subordinate link, the most common solution is transfer of one individual out of the immediate supervisory chain. A strong argument against allowing persons in authority to become involved with subordinates is the chance that subordinates will later claim supervisors used or threatened to use their authority to take unfair advantage of or coerce them into a relationship. Police administrators can reduce the risk of sexual harassment and fraternization charges by implementing a clear policy stating that any relationship crossing ranks within the same supervisory chain must remain strictly professional.