NCJ Number
133631
Journal
American Journal of Police Volume: 10 Issue: 2 Dated: (1991) Pages: 1-22
Date Published
1991
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Traditional analytical frameworks into which the concept of professional ethics is cast fail to provide an adequate model to support the connection between police ethics and democratic values because they do not consider the public nature of the police occupation. In a democratic society, police ethics must be based on societal values.
Abstract
The theory of political obligation, in which police officers are characterized as public agents, is a more suitable framework for police ethics. This theory recognizes the public purpose of the police and recognizes the existence of specific clients, including the offender. The political obligations of police officers bind them to fundamental democratic values. The police role requires the development of representative forms of organization to encourage citizen participation in the democratic process. 49 references