NCJ Number
216228
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 73 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2006 Pages: 148,150,152-154,156
Date Published
October 2006
Length
6 pages
Annotation
After defining "noble cause" corruption in policing and identifying factors that foster it, this article suggests ways to prevent it.
Abstract
Research suggests that continuous training in constitutional and professional values associated with the high mission of law enforcement creates a climate in the agency that socializes officers to discipline their behaviors to comply with constitutional parameters for their duties. "Noble cause" corruption differs from other types of police corruption in that it is not done to provide financial or other types of gain for the individual. It involves breaking the law in order to achieve what the offender perceives as a greater good for society. It occurs when officers falsify or plant physical evidence, lie on the witness stand and in reports, and misrepresent facts in order to obtain a search warrant. Such manipulation of information and evidence is often done to achieve what an officer perceives as a "noble cause," i.e., ensuring that there will be sufficient evidence to gain a conviction of someone the officer believes is guilty of the crime currently charged or of other crimes for which he was not convicted. "Noble cause" police corruption occurs in a climate of arrogance, which fosters the belief that police officers know what is best for society and have the right to use their power to ensure punishment for anyone they perceive to threaten public order and public safety. It also occurs in a climate of supervisory cowardice that fails to hold officers accountable for willful violations of the rules of evidence and constitutional procedures that govern policing in America. Police transparency and accountability require that police administrators establish internal procedures of checks and balances that will detect officer violations of citizens' constitutional rights. 16 notes