History and victim logy
Introduction
Police misconduct is studied widely in the United States as a wide topic in institutions. Police misconduct is divided in to major topics which are physical or psychological abuse and corruption. The misconduct may be group organized or individual organized. This shows that most police officers have neglected their duties and gone against the ethics, laws and regulations of the police force. Police officers have various responsibilities to guard the people and thus have authority in maintaining law and order in the country. Many police officers abuse these powers and authority and end up harassing and mistreating innocent people. Police officers are authorized to maintain order in various places including streets and on the highways thus they should follow the outlined job ethics. Police officers are entitled to apply or use force where necessary and thus they should only use it where it deserves. Police have in many cases been judged morally and this has made the police force to maintain a negative image to the public who should put their trust in the police officers.
Examples of police misconducts
Police corruption
This is one form of unethical behavior police portray to the masses. Traffic police officers are involved in many corrupt cases especially in drug trafficking where they take bribes from drug traffickers which is unethical according to the police laws (Kane, & White, 2012). They are seen to steal money from the sale of drugs. Police officers who involve themselves in misconducts are gladly protected by their fellows who are not involved which is so unethical in the society. Police officers are known to make false and unfair arrests and also in various robbery and kidnapping attempts (Palmiotto, 1999). Police officers are involved in accusing people of drug trafficking whereas they are the same ones who are implanting the drugs on innocent people. Public money used for public purposes is said to be mishandled by police men who get themselves involved in a number of scandals thus damaging their image to the public. Police officers are involved in cases of murder according to judicial report (Palmiotto, 1999). The judicial report suggests that the police misconduct themselves since the National Police Unit is reluctant on such matters and is weak to handle the misconduct cases thus encouraging police officers to remain reluctant in their duties.
Physical abuse
This is seen as an example of police misconduct where they physically cause damages to innocent or even guilty people. Physical abuse by police officers is in terms of beatings, sexual abuse and different physical assaults (Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, 2006). Police officers are seen to harass people especially motorists by falsely accusing them of violating physical rules and regulations and later injuring them physically. Sexual abuse is commonly seen as misconduct where police officers molest young ladies in attempt to intimidate and threaten them. This is observed to be so unfair since everybody is authorized to their own rights (Palmiotto, 1999). Police officers are involved in various physical beatings and brutality acts which are either supported by their superiors or the police men are rascal officers.
Racial profiling and psychological traumas
Racial profiling is discussed as discrimination whereby the enforcers of the law mostly the police officers uses the culture background or race as the key reason in order to suspect that the person has disrespected the law. This happened when several African drivers complained that the traffic police harass them for no apparent reason rather than their race, ethnicity and their backgrounds. For example it is clearly noted that even Arab Americans undergo racial profiling especially on the attacks of September eleventh attacks by terrorists. Since the terror attackers were said to be Arabs the Arabs in America complained that they were harassed at the airports and other given locations while the Americans were just given right and proper treatments (Champion, 2001). This is described as racial profiling and it causes traumas and damages to the people imposed to it.this are one form of police misconduct which causes emotional and mental trauma.
Mechanisms put in place to deal with police misconduct cases
The mechanisms to minimize police misconduct cases can be discussed in terms of legal measures which will be put in place in order to reduce the misconduct cases.
Providing training to police officers
Police officers should be given training on various virtues such as loyalty and truthfulness. This training should encourage officers to attend community programs and recognize those officers so as to improve the relationship between officers and the public. Officers who are excellent in their jobs should be rewarded while the disloyal ones punished as a lesson for future officers (Barker, 2011). The office department should give disloyal policemen strong and hard disciplines which will enable them together with the rest respect the given laws. Police officers should take an oath of office which they should strictly follow and failure to that, consequences suffered should also be very strong and hard (Barker, 2011). This will reduce the misconduct cases since police officers must follow and respect the oath taken.
Handling senior staffs in the police management
Supervisors should always be held responsible for the misconduct of their junior staffs. This will enable the seniors to work diligently and responsible thus reducing cases of seniors supporting juniors in the misconduct exercise. Supervisors should maintain respect between them and the juniors and should perform their duties with loyalty (Barker, 2011). Seniors who support the juniors in misconduct cases should be punished severely and given the discipline they deserve. Seniors should ensure that the rights of management are followed to the letter (Champion, 2001). There should be no negotiations in wrong doing and thus those officers deserving to be disciplined should not be hesitated to do so. This will enable police officers realize the importance of maintaining good and standard ethics in their jobs (Barker, 2011). Police officers who are diligent in their jobs should be rewarded and recognized and thus motivating them in their carriers.
Leaders taking part in preventing the misconduct
Police officers should be made to understand that lying is not one of the ethics in policing. Those policemen caught lying should be properly disciplined (Champion, 2001). Honesty should be of value to the police force as one of the measurers to reduce the image damage to the public on police officers (Barker, 2011). Police leaders should act as good role models for the juniors to follow and thus encouraging good morals in the police force. Investigations should be properly done to make sure that the undisciplined police officers are punished accordingly.
Conclusion
From the above discussion it is clear to state conclude that police misconduct is a serious case in many countries all over the world. Police officers are seen to be brutal and harassing innocent people thus damaging their image. Leaders should work together in the fight against police misconduct and should in deed act as good role models. The diligent police officers should be rewarded while the ones conducting the misconduct punished. Police officers should therefore conduct themselves in accordance with the stated work ethics and thus they should respect the oaths of office taken. Failure to respecting the oaths, serious punishments should accompany them. This is one ways of reducing the cases of misconduct which many countries are applying and which is becoming effective. Police misconduct should be therefore stopped.
References
Barker, T. (2011). Police ethics: Crisis in law enforcement. Springfield, Ill: Chares C. Thomas.
Champion, D. J. (2001). Police misconduct in America: A reference handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO.
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative. (2006). The police, the people, the politics: Police accountability in Uganda. New Delhi, India: Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.
Kane, R. J., & White, M. D. (2012). Jammed up: Bad cops, police misconduct, and the New York City Police Department. New York: New York University Press.
Palmiotto, M. (1999). Community policing: A policing strategy for the 21st century. Gaithersburg, Md: Aspen.
