Ethics Training Ethics Training for Recruitsfor Recruits

ObjectivesObjectives

•Define ethics and discuss the Define ethics and discuss the importance of the appropriate importance of the appropriate trainingtraining

•National Law Enforcement National Law Enforcement Disciplinary Research Project Disciplinary Research Project (The National Institute of (The National Institute of Ethics) Ethics)

•Continuum of Compromise Continuum of Compromise •Code of Silence Code of Silence •Dilemma Simulation Training Dilemma Simulation Training

MPCTC Objective MPCTC Objective #3#3

Identify Why Law Identify Why Law Enforcement Officers, Enforcement Officers,

Both and off Duty, Both and off Duty, Should Exemplify the Should Exemplify the Highest Ethical and Highest Ethical and

Moral StandardMoral Standard

What are Ethics? What are Ethics?

•Standards or rules of Standards or rules of conduct by which we live. conduct by which we live. A system of rights and A system of rights and wrongswrongs

•Values—Beliefs upon which Values—Beliefs upon which our actions and decisions our actions and decisions are madeare made

• Integrity—Having character Integrity—Having character that develops hope, that develops hope, honesty, courage, honesty, courage, empathy, etc.empathy, etc.

Do We Need to Do We Need to Teach Ethics?Teach Ethics?

YES WE DO!YES WE DO!

Ethics and Integrity Ethics and Integrity in Law Enforcement in Law Enforcement

is the Greatest is the Greatest Training and Training and

Leadership Need for Leadership Need for Several Critical Several Critical

ReasonsReasons

• Civil law suits resulting in Civil law suits resulting in enormous settlements and enormous settlements and judgmentsjudgments

• Misconduct becomes front page Misconduct becomes front page news that is often distortednews that is often distorted

• Citizens confidence in agency Citizens confidence in agency declinesdeclines

• Career ending ramifications Career ending ramifications (promotions/demotions)(promotions/demotions)

• Officers and their families face Officers and their families face public humiliationpublic humiliation

• Some officers as a result of Some officers as a result of misconduct commit suicide (two to misconduct commit suicide (two to three times the number of those three times the number of those who die in the line of duty)who die in the line of duty)

Ethics Should Be Ethics Should Be Viewed as Career Viewed as Career Survival TrainingSurvival Training

• This is non-tactical training (The This is non-tactical training (The firearms of tactical training)firearms of tactical training)

• We need to be trained to prevent We need to be trained to prevent us from succumbing to unethical us from succumbing to unethical behaviorbehavior

• Simply defining ethics and reading Simply defining ethics and reading the Code of Ethics can’t achieve the Code of Ethics can’t achieve thisthis

• Further evidence to support the Further evidence to support the need for comprehensive trainingneed for comprehensive training

Ethics Should Be Ethics Should Be Viewed as Career Viewed as Career Survival TrainingSurvival Training

(Cont.)(Cont.)• We need the training to We need the training to survive a career and make it to survive a career and make it to retirementretirement

• Unethical Acts—Unethical Acts—Nothing Nothing devastates us more!devastates us more!

National Law National Law Enforcement Enforcement

Disciplinary Research Disciplinary Research ProjectProject A national research A national research

project conducted by project conducted by training training

commissions/councils commissions/councils throughout the nation that throughout the nation that

compiled statistics compiled statistics between 1990 and 1995 between 1990 and 1995 on officers who received on officers who received formal discipline by their formal discipline by their

respective state respective state commission or council.commission or council.

FindingsFindings

Between 1990 and 1995 3,884 Between 1990 and 1995 3,884 law officers went through the law officers went through the de-certification process. 502 de-certification process. 502 of these cases were dismissed. of these cases were dismissed. Of the remaining 3,382 Of the remaining 3,382 officers, 2,296 officers were officers, 2,296 officers were totally decertifiedtotally decertified

Additional FindingsAdditional Findings

• The average age of the de-The average age of the de-certified officer was 32certified officer was 32

• 93% were male and 7% were 93% were male and 7% were female female

• 73% were Caucasian 19% were 73% were Caucasian 19% were African American and 8% were African American and 8% were Hispanic Hispanic

• 85% were line officers 85% were line officers • Average years of sworn service Average years of sworn service

was 7.2 years was 7.2 years

Crimes Committed Crimes Committed Resulting in De-Resulting in De-

certificationcertification •Greed (26.99%)Greed (26.99%) •Anger (19.69%)Anger (19.69%) • Lust (12.74%)Lust (12.74%) •Peer Pressure (12.70%)Peer Pressure (12.70%)

Continuum of Continuum of CompromiseCompromise

The continuum of The continuum of compromise outlines the compromise outlines the

path of ethical compromise path of ethical compromise and can be used to help and can be used to help

officers mentally prepare for officers mentally prepare for the ethical dilemmas they the ethical dilemmas they

will facewill face

• It is the framework for It is the framework for understanding and teaching understanding and teaching how the transition from how the transition from “honest cop” to “honest cop” to “compromised officer” can “compromised officer” can occuroccur

•When inadequately prepared, When inadequately prepared, even the most honest, above even the most honest, above reproach officers can make reproach officers can make inappropriate split-second inappropriate split-second ethical decisionsethical decisions

•Understanding the issues and Understanding the issues and being mentally prepared will being mentally prepared will help officers assume help officers assume responsibility for and make responsibility for and make more appropriate decisionsmore appropriate decisions

•Officers who view compromise Officers who view compromise as an “all or none” as an “all or none” phenomenon will not see phenomenon will not see compromise as an unlikely compromise as an unlikely event and will not become event and will not become mentally preparedmentally prepared

A Sense of A Sense of VictimizationVictimization • When young officers over-invest in and When young officers over-invest in and

over-identify with their professional role over-identify with their professional role the will develop a sense of singular the will develop a sense of singular identity based on their job and an identity based on their job and an increase sense of victimizationincrease sense of victimization

• A perceived sense of victimization can A perceived sense of victimization can lead to the rationalization and lead to the rationalization and justification of acts of omissionjustification of acts of omission

• As a sense of perceived victimization As a sense of perceived victimization intensifies, officers become more intensifies, officers become more distrusting and resentful of anyone distrusting and resentful of anyone controls their job rolecontrols their job role

Acts of OmissionActs of Omission • ““Acts of Omission” occur when officers Acts of Omission” occur when officers

rationalize and justify not doing things rationalize and justify not doing things they are responsible for doingthey are responsible for doing

• Acts of omission can include selective Acts of omission can include selective non-productivity (ignoring certain non-productivity (ignoring certain traffic and criminal violations)traffic and criminal violations)

• Over looking activity, over looking Over looking activity, over looking superficial investigations, omitting superficial investigations, omitting paperwork, lack of follow up, and just paperwork, lack of follow up, and just doing enough to get by are examples of doing enough to get by are examples of activities officers omitactivities officers omit

Acts of Commission – Acts of Commission – AdministrativeAdministrative

• Once officers routinely omit job Once officers routinely omit job responsibilities, the journey to responsibilities, the journey to the next step is not a difficult the next step is not a difficult one to makeone to make

• Instead of just omitting duties Instead of just omitting duties and responsibilities, officers and responsibilities, officers commit administrative violationscommit administrative violations—Breaking small rules is no big —Breaking small rules is no big dealdeal

Acts of Commission – Acts of Commission – CriminalCriminal

• Unsuspecting officers can Unsuspecting officers can unwittingly travel to the next and unwittingly travel to the next and final stage of the continuumfinal stage of the continuum

• At first, acts of criminal At first, acts of criminal commission appear benign and commission appear benign and not any different than the acts of not any different than the acts of administrative commissionadministrative commission

• Officers will rationalize Officers will rationalize embellishing overtime and payroll embellishing overtime and payroll records because “they owe me. records because “they owe me. What’s the big deal?”What’s the big deal?”

Acts of Commission – Acts of Commission – Criminal (Cont.)Criminal (Cont.)

• The initial honest, dedicated, above The initial honest, dedicated, above reproach officers now ask, “where reproach officers now ask, “where did it all go wrong,” “how did this did it all go wrong,” “how did this happen” as they face the realities of happen” as they face the realities of personal and professional personal and professional devastation and criminal devastation and criminal prosecution. Officers who reach this prosecution. Officers who reach this stage didn’t wake up one being an stage didn’t wake up one being an honest hard working officer to honest hard working officer to criminal defendantscriminal defendants

““Code of Silence”Code of Silence”

Do Officers Participate Do Officers Participate in the Code of Silence? in the Code of Silence?

Does the Code of Does the Code of Silence Exist?Silence Exist?

Academy Recruit Academy Recruit Code of Silence Code of Silence

ResearchResearch• 79% said that a law enforcement code 79% said that a law enforcement code of silence exists and is fairly common of silence exists and is fairly common throughout the nationthroughout the nation

• 52% said that the fact that the code of 52% said that the fact that the code of silence doesn’t really bother themsilence doesn’t really bother them

• 24% said the code of silence is more 24% said the code of silence is more justified when excessive force involves justified when excessive force involves a suspect who is arrogant or abusivea suspect who is arrogant or abusive

• 46% said they would not tell on 46% said they would not tell on another officer for having sex on dutyanother officer for having sex on duty

ContinuedContinued• 7% said nothing is wrong with lying to 7% said nothing is wrong with lying to

prevent another officer from getting in prevent another officer from getting in trouble because the bond of loyalty among trouble because the bond of loyalty among officers is so importantofficers is so important

• 23% said that they would not tell on 23% said that they would not tell on another officer for regularly smoking another officer for regularly smoking marijuana off dutymarijuana off duty

• 24% said that they would be more likely to 24% said that they would be more likely to participate in the code of silence if their participate in the code of silence if their supervisor and the administration treated supervisor and the administration treated employees with great respectemployees with great respect

Research of the types of Research of the types of incidents that prompted incidents that prompted officers to take part in officers to take part in

the code of silencethe code of silence • Anger was the most frequent incident over Anger was the most frequent incident over which the code of silence occurs (41%)which the code of silence occurs (41%)

• Peer Pressure was the second most Peer Pressure was the second most common motivation (20%)common motivation (20%)

• (16%) of the circumstances were (16%) of the circumstances were motivated by greedmotivated by greed

• (8%) of the situations were related to lust(8%) of the situations were related to lust • (15%) of the remaining incidents were DUI (15%) of the remaining incidents were DUI

offenses, illegal searches, misconduct, FTO offenses, illegal searches, misconduct, FTO doing personal business on duty, and doing personal business on duty, and perjuryperjury

What Officers What Officers Suggested for Suggested for

Controlling the Code Controlling the Code (Ones Who (Ones Who

Participated)Participated) • Conduct good ethics trainingConduct good ethics training • More consistent accountabilityMore consistent accountability • Ensure open communication Ensure open communication

between officers and leadersbetween officers and leaders • Provide an anonymous Provide an anonymous

reporting systemreporting system • Protect whistleblowersProtect whistleblowers

Officers Who Had Not Officers Who Had Not Concealed InformationConcealed Information • Teach officers to make good ethical Teach officers to make good ethical

and moral direction (ethics and moral direction (ethics training)training)

• Hire officers with integrityHire officers with integrity • Hold people accountable for their Hold people accountable for their

actionsactions • Give individuals a confidential way Give individuals a confidential way

to report misconductto report misconduct • Consistent enforcement of the rulesConsistent enforcement of the rules

Not Dealing With the Not Dealing With the Code of Silence Will Code of Silence Will Eventually Destroy Eventually Destroy the Integrity of an the Integrity of an

AgencyAgency

Dilemma Situation Dilemma Situation TrainingTraining

Why It’s Extremely Why It’s Extremely PowerfulPowerful

You React The Way You You React The Way You Have Been TrainedHave Been Trained

•We must train using only the We must train using only the right responses because what right responses because what we learn will be anchored into we learn will be anchored into our long-term memoryour long-term memory

Ethical Dilemma Ethical Dilemma Situation ScenariosSituation Scenarios

Before training, we Before training, we must understand what must understand what

causes officers to causes officers to commit unethical actscommit unethical acts

• They justify their actions with They justify their actions with excusesexcuses

• They experience momentary They experience momentary selfishnessselfishness

• They make a bad decisionThey make a bad decision • They are afraid of paying the price They are afraid of paying the price

for doing the right thingfor doing the right thing

ConclusionConclusion

The Oath of Honor—I The Oath of Honor—I Will Always Hold Myself Will Always Hold Myself and Others Accountable and Others Accountable for Having Courage to for Having Courage to

Do the Right ThingDo the Right Thing