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Abstract

Two kinds ofproblems are encountered in police ethics, and different approaches are neededfor each. The first set of issues centers around integrity: taking bribes, giving perjured testimony, or inflicting serious harm on suspects through use of illegalforce. These are instances of obvious misconduct. For that reason, the approach police officers need is not ethical analysis (in most cases, that would be superfluous) but instead one thatfocuses on creating in officers the disposition to do what is right. By contrast, the second set involves hard choices in law enforcement, with ethical analysis thus needed to supplement our uncertain judgments of right and wrong. Furthermore, analysis can also help pre-service criminal justice students acquire the skills needed to make informed judgments of their own about the hard choices they will later encounter as police officers. Both approaches can be expected to play important roles in the education ofpolicepersonnel as law enforcement continues its development towardprofessional maturity.

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Two Approaches to Police Ethics

Abstract

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