Law Enforcement is a public service profession. Public servants typically have authority to make decisions over others and/or make decision which influence the “public good,” but in return, have the responsibility to make those decisions without prejudice or bias, with appropriate objectives and values guiding their decision making. For this reason, public servants are held at a higher standard than other occupations. Citizens expect politicians, judges, and police officers to be honest, possess integrity, be fair, and have the interest of the common good at heart. Is this justified? Probably, because public service is a choice the individual makes and the power entrusted in them is extreme. When officers commit crimes and engage in other wrongdoing it is typically front-page news. Some may complain that law enforcement officers are more scrutinized and held to higher standards than any other profession, but when one understands the nature of policing, it is clear that the nature of the profession creates greater expectations. Law enforcement is not just a “job.” It is an acceptance of the responsibility of protecting and serving and further it is accepting the responsibility to uphold and protect the law.

When officers are unprepared for the ethical dilemmas which they will be exposed to and are unaware of the “continuum of compromise,” they can unknowingly and over a period of time allow mild job frustration to spiral into criminal tendencies that can lead to devastating consequences (2). This progression is predictable and often preventable. Upon researching ethical training, there are many approaches in design and implementation of ethics training programs. Management through values, philosophies of the decision-making process, and programs that model ethical behavior are all sound training programs. They give officers a chance to reflect and discuss ethical concerns with other law enforcement officials and discuss solutions to ethical dilemmas. While addressing ethical issues involved in law enforcement, many of the programs fall short of ensuring that officers understand and integrate the ethics training into everyday policing. The concept of training programs need to address the major challenges brought on by the very nature of police work.

I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudice, animosities, or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence, and never accepting gratuities.

Once officers omit job responsibilities, the next step in the continuum of compromise is not a difficult one to make. Administration acts of commission (2), or voluntary misconduct (7), begins with breaking small rules that seem inconsequential. This misconduct can be seen in many ways. Carrying unauthorized equipment or weapons, drinking on duty, romantic interludes on duty, not reporting accidents and firing warning shots are just a few examples. For most officers engaging in ethical violations, this is as far as they go. Usually the only risks with this type of behavior are departmental policy and procedure. When discovered, community trust and police/community relations are eroded. However, they rarely place officers at risk for criminal prosecution (2). The initially honest and motivated officers can now rationalize their behavior along the lines of an idea that they are no longer a rookie, they now know what it’s really like on the streets. Again, the perceived sense of “us versus them” is evident.

ommunities face every day (2). Law enforcement agencies across the country face issues of integrity, accountability, compromise, and personal morale.

As mentioned before, significant changes in the way law enforcement ethics is conceptualized, taught, and in

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