Law Enforcement Discipline

Law Enforcement Discipline

[Name of the Writer]

[Name of the Institution]

Law Enforcement Discipline

Introduction

Police officers are an important part of the law enforcement agency, and thus the law itself is a critical branch of the criminal justice system. It requires law enforcement officers to be adequately trained and disciplined in their field. If police officers are the one to abuse their power all the time, then they have no right to enforce rules in the communities (Shaaban, 2017). Police officers are supposed to be role models. As discipline is an essential trait in the law enforcement career, it is expected at all times that police officers follow all the necessary disciplinary rules and guidelines. If police officers do not abuse their authorities and follow the same rules they try to enforce in the communities, other people would do the same. Police officers are provided with ample amount of authority and power over the citizens. Thus they should be cautious while doing something unusual or unwanted. Otherwise, they can face serious consequences.

Discussion

Identification

The code of behavior conceptualizes the act of discipline by providing training, correcting, and helping ordinary citizens. Discipline is integrity that comes forth with courage, and excellent leadership skills while dealing with different issues in communities. Most common responsibilities of a police officer consist of patrolling the streets, dealing with many public issues, responding to emergencies, etc. Moreover, discipline is also critical during work performance. Typically, police officers go through a series of training where they are tested for strength, tolerance and physical agility. It is important for them to pass this test as this test determine their capacity to perform adequately in their job as a police officer. Despite these skills, more fundamental skills such as flexibility, endurance, and strength are needed to work as a police officer. Serious injuries such as death can occur inevitably fall while performing a task if the police officer is not reluctantly trained (Dunham, & Alpert, 2015).

If all the law enforcement follows the necessary code of behavior along with following the designated laws, so would the citizens. Mainly because the law is a role model and has to act appropriately to remain safe under judicial or government review, if these fundamental rules and actions are followed, crime can be easily avoided. Law enforcement involves certain ethics and rather demand a higher ethical standard in which dedication towards doing the right thing is required. All of these ethics shape and form a tremendous amount of expectation and responsibilities upon officers. They are expected to lead these standards in their profession by using appropriate decision making and critical thinking skills. Police officers often tend to live inside fishbowls where the public most scrutinizes them. The reason why the public has such an attitude towards local law enforcement is that they tend to be cynical.

Unethical behavior in law enforcement follows many examples, such as theft, excessive use of force, abuse of authority, misuse of public office, speeding, etc. All of these examples fall under the simple category of corruption and is severely disregarded and punishable by the government. Most majority of police officers often leave a bad image as news about hard-working and dedicated police officers rarely make the news. Police officers should try to follow every rule so that there is no negative impact on their entire profession because of the acts of individuals who tend not to do the right thing. Ethics based on social values confirm the difference between doing the right thing and the wrong thing. Values determine the influence of decision making while emphasizing professional and personal lives. Thousands of people around the world are abused by law enforcement.

The reasons why that happens can be because of the racial aspect, discriminating factor, or something that comes to bother them. These are the reasons why discipline is important so that law enforcement officers know their authority and not become prejudice or biased. However, most are very unethical when it comes to following certain values. Due to the behaviors and actions if these local law enforcement officers, values are strongly influenced by the decision-making skills each one has. Their values and societal values are all mixed, which is why they seem to practice this kind of behavior (Hess, Orthmann, & LaDue, 2015). Based on peoples cultural and ethnic background, most of the law enforcement officers tend to misbehave. Police should reasonably have all the values that make them enforce law and order in communities. These values are integrity, compassion, hard work, justice, honesty, kindness, bravery, and sympathy.

These values help law enforcement officers guide towards ethical behavior and ethical decision making as they help people or communities with what actions to take and what to expect. The law enforcement ethics structure should be standardized and fixed so that they can understand the societal values more appropriately. If they follow the ethical principles carefully, they can blatantly refuse to follow anything which is environmentally regarded as wrong. Such adherence to ethical standards would make it of more importance. Moreover, law enforcement officers have taken an oath which consists of protecting the values and upholding the constitution of the citizens of their community, which is why discipline is immensely important so that rules can be enforced in the communities. Police officers tend to enforce laws in communities but do not enforce it on themselves with the same commitment.

Police attitude towards abuse of authority in quite primitive and prominent. There are many serious cases of abuse and handling under public debate. Some black people are often beaten by the hands of police, while others are arrested without reason. This kind of prejudice and unprecedented behavior has caught public attention and raised many concerns. Such disparities in law enforcement should be marginalized and finished so that a more equal and unbiased society can be formed within the democratic system. Police abuse of authority shall be apprehended in a way so that discipline can be integrated. If discipline is integrated, then enforcing rules in the communities is more possible then ever. An improper way of dealing with situations have rather been predominant in a way so that methods for controlling such abuse can be cultivated towards a more progressive end.

The law enforcement found out through accumulating research that if the leader is set amongst the law enforcement team, a chief, for example, can make a huge difference in controlling abuse of authority amongst the law enforcement agency. A chief, a first line supervisor, or a leader can help prevent the factors of mistreatment in the police (Donner, Fridell, & Jennings, 2016). Role models play a critical role in mitigating the factors of abuse. They can do so by hiring professionals who are well educated, individuals who have passed the police training period, and show commitment towards there work. All of these interpersonal, cultural, and ethical values in these individuals can show a change amongst the use of authority and the carrying of discipline. Moreover, the implementation of community-oriented policies decreases the likelihood that officers will engage in gross forms of corruption or some less serious forms of corruption. Either way, this kind of implementation can enforce discipline.

Police abuse and disciplinary actions not being adequately followed is a serious concern that needs to be addressed by policymakers and professionals. Most authorities disapprove of the use of excessive force, while others approve of it in the vast majority. The issue of misconduct is yet another important concern which is linked with the disciplinary guidelines on the law. Police brutality should be banned by all means so that law enforcement discipline can be followed and the same rules can be enforced in the communities. All of the above rules and regulation apart from the concerns are to be followed so that discipline can be revisited and the rules can be followed by citizens for a more justice criminal system. For a more just and equal system, it is important for law enforcement to follow every told above so that abuse of authority can be stopped and both official authorities and public themselves can enforce rules.

Conclusion

The aforementioned research analysis on law enforcement discipline and the use of abuse over authority to constraint and dehumanize citizens are of utmost concern. The methods and approaches used for controlling abuse of authority are by either utilizing a leadership figure or through using community-oriented policing (Hawkins, 2015). Moreover, other forms of discipline can be revitalized through enforcing rules within the policing department. Using primitive assessment and action plans along with selecting educated individuals to police is the best way to ensure no abuse over authority. Equality in criminal justice can only be sustained through enforcing appropriate use of disciplinary laws. If police authorities follow the appropriate use of disciplinary laws, so can the communities. Police would be able to enforce these laws in communities. More adequately and relevantly, policing can be integrated through the use of rules and regulation criteria.

References

Donner, C. M., Fridell, L. A., & Jennings, W. G. (2016). The relationship between self-control and police misconduct: A multi-agency study of first-line police supervisors. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 43(7), 841-862.

Dunham, R. G., & Alpert, G. P. (2015). Critical issues in policing: Contemporary readings. Waveland Press.

Hawkins, D. (2015). Abuse of Authority-Mistake of Law-Discharge. Wisconsin Law Journal.

Hess, K. M., Orthmann, C. H., & LaDue, S. E. (2015). Management and supervision in law enforcement. Cengage Learning.

Shaaban, K. (2017). Assessment of drivers’ perceptions of various police enforcement strategies and associated penalties and rewards. Journal of advanced transportation, 2017.