It has been an honor for me to serve American law enforcement over the last 20 years with presentations and published works.
These works have addressed critical issues including leadership development, violence prevention, and crisis management.
The heart of my service has been ethical policing, critical to the law enforcement profession.
Ethical training and development must be the foundation for all who take the solemn oath to protect and serve.
Protecting the Shield, Safeguarding Communities
In my home state of New Jersey, there was a recent published series addressing police misconduct.The series was based on investigative research that examined the price paid by the public when bad cops remain on local police forces.
The series alleged that New Jersey governments throughout the state, “from the smallest towns to some of the largest cities, have spent at least $42.7 million this decade to cover-up deaths, physical abuses, and sexual misconduct at the hands of bad cops.”
The publication also alleged that the abuses have left a staggering toll with at least 19 dead, 131 injured, 7 sexual transgressions, dozens of false arrests, and harassment offenses.
Highlighting Ethical Policing
Before continuing with honestly addressing unethical issues through training and development initiatives, let us accentuate the positive.The overwhelming majority of America’s law enforcement professionals stand on ethical principles.
There are hundreds of thousands serving in the admirable law enforcement profession who exemplify countless daily acts of professionalism, courtesy, and honor.
- S. Marshall from York County died a hero in Harrisburg shooting; dad of 2 was Army vet
- Hospitalized officer who risked life during icy pond rescue says he’s not a hero
- “True hero” Detroit police officer Glenn Doss Jr killed responding to emergency call
- Days after Narcan training, St. Paul police officer saves a woman suffering overdose
- Columbus police officer saves woman from freezing pond
- Indiana officer saves child’s life first day on the job
- Heroic St. Joseph County police officer saves woman from fiery car
Law Enforcement Code of Ethics
According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the law enforcement code of ethics stands as a “preface to the mission and commitment law enforcement agencies make to the public they serve.”The code of ethics, as documented on the IACP website begins with these principles:
“As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve the community; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the constitutional rights of all to liberty, equality and justice.
Empowering Ethical Protectors
Just this week, I had the privilege of discussing implementing my program titled “21st Century Policing: America’s Ethical Protectors” with the top brass of a major law enforcement agency.The agency is be commended fo recognizing that ethical training is critical to their vision, mission, and core values.
Ethical training and development is also critical to the entire law enforcement profession, and so I am taking the liberty to share some details from my program.
By doing so, it is my fervent hope that law enforcement agencies nationwide are inspired to make on-going ethical policing initiatives that include certification programs as fundamental to their mission.
My program abstract specifies the following:
- Ethical policing training and development is a proven educational model that strengthens operational efficiency, improves moral, and increases respectability.
- Ethics empowers the rank-and-file of an agency with leadership skills, vigilance enhancement, and collaborative expertise.
- It addresses state-of-the-art ethical principles based upon recognized issues vital to the profession. This is the most effective way of developing, attaining, and sustaining the vision, mission, and core values of the agency.
- It will strengthen agency accountability and improve community trust through principles that honor expectations, performance, and responsibility.
- Ethical training assists in limiting the agency’s liability as it demonstrates that ethical training has been conducted by an independent respected authority.
- Ethical policing principles
- Principles of American Policing
- Emotional Intelligence
- Cultivating a reputation of respect
- Building community trust
- Neighborhood Policing
- Sexual harassment
- Crime prevention
- Communication skills
- Mental health
- Conflict resolution
- Crisis management
Final Reflections
America’s law enforcement professionals are in critical roles of protecting and serving our communities.We must recognize, appreciate, and support them in their challenging work. We must also realize our shared responsibility and do everything in our power to forge iron-clad police-community partnerships.
These partnerships must be built on an ethical code, essential not only to law enforcement professionals, but on every community member privileged to call America home.
