Ethics and Code of Conduct - Criminal Justice 220

Ethics and Code of Conduct
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Ethics and Code of Conduct
Strayer University
Felicia McCaw
Professor Judy Tompkins
CRJ 220
Online Summer 2016
July 22, 2016

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As with any profession in today’s society the concern of having good ethics and a code of conduct is of utmost importance in any field. The need to explore and determine what these two mean when it deals with legal representation or with the presenting and administering of legalities, e.g., as with police officers, attorneys or judges. Because of this the pinpointing of what ethics and code of conduct is the eternal question as they change and evolve. As such the determining of what standards are used to summate what ethics is as well as the code of conduct comes into play.

Therefore, ethics as it is presented now is a well-balanced foundation that supports the standards of correctness that facilitates choices of right and wrong. Because of this attribution this serves as an inhibitor and preventer in performing criminal activities. Further values are parallistic to ethics and help with the understanding of ethics since values are what is valued most and what is worth fighting for and performing of sacrifices. Not only are values societal but they are also personal and are affected by ethnicity, religious beliefs and our personal life and experiences. Furthermore, societal values are what are more effectively utilized in correlation with ethics intermingled with personal to help facilitate integrity, honesty, hard work, kindness, compassion, empathy, sympathy, justice and bravery. Also, as ethics with values that have been instilled it is also a collective imposition that assists in the refraining of behavior that is compromisable to the code of conduct. The code of conduct are rigid highly moralistic rules that pertain to the maintaining of social norms, rules, responsibilities, practices of an individual, party or organization. Honorary conduct and correct irreproachable ethics are the primary characteristic of the position that I will be doing in the future in the field of law enforcement and teaching.

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In my chosen profession as a teacher with emphasis on law enforcement one of the three reasons ethics and integrity are important in my future is because of the need to be an exemplary example of behavior that is correct, honest and trustworthy. Further, because there have been some less than sterling examples of exhibited law enforcement my goal is to be a corrective additive to a team to ensure that the public is protected as well as served without corruption or lack of disregard to honor. Secondly, I feel that the states of ethics and integrity should be regarded as part of your DNA spiral as well as the blood in your body and because of this stance only correct behavior will suffice in the carrying out of duties. Thirdly, strictness and an incorruptible attitude with no bending due to treatment or personal prejudice is the only way to be a true facilitator and be a true fighter of crime.

Two aspects in which ethics, morality, and law differ in regards to affecting the decisions of our local enforcement officers are that the inability to gauge a dangerous situation because of the rate of personalism (racism) involved and utilized to perceive a person (Milton Hall) as an eminent threat to eight or nine officers outfitted with full police gear and weaponry and himself with only a knife. The prospect of using ethics was ignored and the ignominious decision to fire, fire when the scenario could have been peacefully and safely defused and done. Not only was this person executed but the public and observers were put in jeopardy also. Legal procedures and laws were dismissed from their minds and morality of the situation played “black man” kill and be done.

This exhibition of removal and execution is not a facet of ethical code whether regarded as police ethical code or not. This person was devalued without thought of moralistic value because to them he amounted to nothing but a “crazy” and nothing.

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Therefore, these three (ethics, morality, law) were not regarded during the confrontation as well as good judgment and because of their (policemen) acquittal of charges it is well to state that these choices of ethics, morality and consideration of law will not be facilitated here.

Two ways law enforcement should use ethics, morality, and code of conduct is to correctly gauge a situation and remain neutral (color and race blind) during the ensuing scenario during their professional discharging of services to protect the public as well as be a stickler in their personal life. The purpose of correct ethics, morality and code of conduct is that it is an ensurer that the correct job or judgment will be done that is protective of themselves as well as the person the 911 calls has been made upon therefore protection from police brutality, abuse and the misuse of the “badge” is not enabled to be called into play.

The using of law enforcement codes of conduct for this state (Michigan) and two of the most important aspects of the code as they relate to law enforcement is that unfortunately this state is one of the laggards in this country when it comes to correct usage of ethics and correct interpretation of codes and fairness of investigation. Not only are they one of the laggards but the call for public civility is virtually non-existent especially if you are a minority that has transgressed by just existing and because of this respect and congeniality is absent from them and in the courts and legal systems.

Secondly, another aspect of the code that is ignored is the plight of officers who have complained and because of the “blue code of silence” a wall of unbreakable, unforgiving subculture exists where the isolation and accusatory “silent and resentful” treatment is not controlled but cause reporting officers of code violations to be targeted and retaliated against thereby undercutting any code that has been sworn to due to intimidation.

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Lastly, because the code of silence is one of the factors that affect ethics and code of conduct this erodes the effective usage of legal codes that have been designated to keep the level of professionalism up, performance correct and thereby protect the public.


REFERENCES

What is Ethics? (n.d.). Retrieved July 22, 2016, from https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/what-is-ethics/
Right is Right: The Importance of Ethics in Policing. (n.d.). Retrieved July 22, 2016, from http://criminologycareers.about.com/od/Career_Trends/a/Ethics-In-Law-Enforcement.htm
Grant, J. K. (2002). Ethics and Law Enforcement. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 71(12), 11-14.
Bob_johnson@mlive.com, B. J. (2014). Saginaw officers who shot and killed Milton Hall won't face federal charges. Retrieved July 22, 2016, from http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2014/02/no_federal_charges
Falk Sr., J. H. (1995). Developing a code of ethics so COs know how to respond. Corrections Today, 57(4), 110.
Podgers, J. (2011). From Many Voices, A Call for Public Civility. ABA Journal, 97(9), 11.
Bethencourt, D. (2016). Black Michigan State Police troopers claim targeting for suing state. Retrieved July 22, 2016, from http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/05/08/michigan-state-police-discrimination-lawsuits-diversity-police-troopers-darzeil-hall-lamarr-johnson/81485506/
Breaking the blue code. (n.d.). Retrieved July 22, 2016, from http://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/breaking-the-blue-code/Content?oid=2169881
Egan, P. (2015). Michigan ranks last in laws on ethics, transparency. Retrieved July 22, 2016, from http://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2015/11/09/michigan-ranks-last-laws-ethics-transparency/75288210/
City of Saginaw Police Department. (n.d.). Retrieved July 22, 2016, from
http://www.saginaw-mi.com/departments/communitypublicsafety/police/

MCOLES. (n.d.). Retrieved July 22, 2016, from http://www.michigan.gov/mcoles