Police Corruption

You are new member of internal affairs and are still getting to know everybody. You have been asked by your lieutenant to write a report using his notes on a case. Although there is a great deal of paperwork marked “Confidential,” he told you to only write the report based on what was in the blue folder. As you are writing the report, you opened the other folders in the packet and noticed that some information was left out—information that could implicate another officer in the field. The officer in the field is your lieutenant’s brother, who is a major in the city’s police department. You start to think that there may be a cover-up going on.

Using the library, Internet, or other media sources, find various articles pertaining to police corruption and misconduct to write a paper of 2–4 pages that discusses the following:

 

• Should you do exactly what was asked of you, or should you approach the lieutenant’s supervisor?
• What are the implications of writing the report as asked?
• What are the implications of approaching your lieutenant’s supervisor? 
• What are the implications of the actions or nonactions in this situation that can impact your job status, other parties involved, and the community?
• Incorporate theoretical concepts to associate this scenario with morality, ethics, and specific behaviors that influence the consequences (good or bad) associated with moral and immoral behaviors.

 

In 2-4 paragraphs

 

In about 4 months, you will be graduating from the police academy. Your friend, Jim, works at the same precinct to which you are applying. You know that upon your employment with the law enforcement agency, you may be required to take a polygraph test with questions about prior arrests, drug use, or theft—any questions that could disqualify you as a police officer. Your friend tells you to lie on the questionnaire and not to include information from your old college days when you both were arrested for marijuana possession. Although the case was dismissed, it still is in the court system. Jim stated that his district does not employ the polygraph; it just has a questionnaire. Jim admitted to lying on his questionnaire to seek his employment.

• Are ethics limited to duty, or does it extend to personal desires? 
• What are the implications of lying on a questionnaire even though the department may not find out the truth? 
• What would you gain if the truth was told?
• If you do tell the truth, would you include the information regarding your friend, explaining that you and your friend were arrested?
• Discuss the implications of including your arrest and the implications for including your friend. Use theoretical concepts associated with ethics to help you determine the consequences (good or bad) associated with immoral behaviors and how you formulate your decision.