Police Ethics and Deviance

Police Ethics and Deviance
CJS/210
February 13, 2011
Rhonda Tillman

Police Ethics and Deviance

Ethics is defined as practical, normative study of the rightness and wrongness of human conduct.   Ethics are very important to police work, and police officer’s ethics are tested on a daily basis and it is up to them to make sure they are not weakened or compromised.   Even though officer’s can find themselves in a position where they have to make an ethical decision where they have to decide what is right and what is wrong and that will solely depend on the ethics the officer already has in their work life and home life, this makes a big difference.

Some of the ethical standards that police have to uphold or should uphold are that everyone should be given equal protection of the law all on the same level regardless of race, religion or standard of living.   Everyone should be protected from violence and or threat of any kind and to be especially observant to the weaker groups such as children, women, disabled persons, the elderly and minority groups.   Everyone has the right to a fair trial, freedom of expression, to not be subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment or to suffer any kind of torture.

Police officers or any law enforcement officials shall never cause, or instigate any kind of torture, or degrading treatment or punishment.   Police officers will take care of all victims with sympathy and admiration paying special attention to their safety and privacy.   They will not use force unless it is completely warranted and when it is needed it has to be minimal depending on the circumstances.   Restraint must be used and act in the amount needed for the circumstances of the offence.

Police officers should never use lethal force except if inescapable and only to protect their lives or the lives of someone else.   Officers also must treat all subjects being detained caringly and never embarrass or inflict or instigate any act of torture or bad treatment....