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Ethical Dilemma for the Corruption of an Officer Abstract This article discusses the Criminal Justice System Employees, whose careers ended in dismissal, and or termination, forced resignation, or early retirement. I have selected random samples of misconduct within the criminal Justice system. We will view the criminal Justice system and their misconduct due to corruption, brutality, and drug- relations in adjunction to police officers involvement. Police corruption is a major problem in the United States.
We the people look up to the police as role models, nes that our children, future leaders tread after. The police, the men and women who took an oath to abide by and uphold the law. Before any officer takes the Law Enforcement Oath of Honor he/she must have the understanding of what it means. It’s a solemn pledge that taken when he/she is sincerely intends to do what they say they will do. The Oath: “On my honor I will never betray my badge, my integrity, my character, or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions.
I will always uphold the constitution, my ommunity, and the agency I serve”. Integrity Honor means that one’s word is given as a guarantee. Betray is defined as breaking faith with the public trust. Badge is the symbol of your office. Integrity is being the same person in both private and public life. Character means the qualities that distinguish an individual. Public trust is a charge of duty imposed in faith toward those you serve. Courage is having the strength to withstand unethical pressure, fear or danger. Accountability means that you are answerable and responsible to your Introduction
The general public depends greatly on the police to ensure the safety and security of them, their families and their property. It is expected that these individuals exemplify an elevated level of integrity as a result of the level of power this one entity possesses. Moreover, society looks upon this branch of service as a strong tower, one that not only serves and protects, but one that is trust-worthy, upright and a role model for the public. The police department is considered a safe haven to the citizens of their city/county.
Those employed within this realm, whether in or out of niform, should honor the integrity of their badge as an upright, law abiding citizen. The police are extensively and strategically educated and trained on the laws and how to effectively serve and protect the people/citizens of their city/county. With this knowledge and training alone, it places them in a category where expectations are higher than those of the typical citizen. These individuals are also taught how to appropriately respond to various crises and defuse any/all situation that arise.
Could we be guilty of expecting an average citizen to perform at a level of perfection that ften times many of us fail to do? The validity of what factual percentage of law enforcement is involved in police corruption is difficult to determine because much of the shady and crooked deeds take place in secret and are placed under a code of silence. Breaking that silence could lead to termination, loss of tenure, being shunned by fellow officers or even worse for officers that witness or have knowledge of corruption in some circumstances.
Therefore, many officers fail to report certain actions or give false reports to cover up criminal activities. What, if anything, could empt or lure an officer of the law to sway from his/her professional, ethical and legal obligations to the community they swore to uphold? For some, it could be as simple as extra money to keep or maintain a certain lifestyle, providing the necessities for a family and for others it could be in the form of exaggerated power over the non- uniformed individual.
In view of research I examined David Mack and Rafael Perez, two police officers that once worked together for the Los’ Angeles California Police Department. These men were also reputed members of the Bloods Gang. Mack eceived honors for killing a drug dealer, but it was later discovered that he was guilty of robbery and even implicated in a murder. Perez framed a gang member and stole drugs from the evidence locker. These corrupt activities were all committed while both individuals were employed as LAPD officers.
Joseph Miedzianowski, a Chicago police officer, was also labeled as a once decent police officer turned corrupt police officer and drug kingpin. Miedzianowski shook down drug dealers and took the loot and product. He was also involved in racketeering and conspiracy all while orking for the Chicago Police Department. He was even noted as the most corrupt. Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, both employed by the New York Police Department were also conjoined to the mafia. Caracappa served as a member of the Homicide Unit.
During the time of their assignment to investigate the Lucchese crime family, these men were discovered to actually work as hitmen for the very same criminals they were hired to investigate. These two police officers were moles in the NYPD, convicted for obstruction, extortion, conspiracy and murder (2006). In a more ith the death ofa 17 year old young man James Brissette. Brissette was said to be innocent and unarmed on the Danziger bridge looking for shelter during hurricane Katrina. These officers ambushed Brissette.
Robert Gisevius, Kenneth Bowen, and Anthony Villavaso three of New Orleans police officers were convicted of falsifying reports and false prosecution in conspiracy and covering up the shooting incident of Brissette’s murder and may face the death penalty for their actions. In these cases listed there in the police “criminals” are given the power to deprive citizens of their reedom by arresting them and the right to use force in the performance of their policing functions including lethal force (Banks, 2013 p. 3). It is believed that most crime is a manifestation of the environment in which an individual is reared, raised or most often exposed to. However, considering the various neighborhoods from which many of our peace officers are from, the aforementioned credence wavers on the verge of a fallacy of a few like-minded groups of people with limited evidence to substantiate that corrupt police officers are in fact a product of their environment.
That thought however, does not negate that there are a select few who have abused and stretched their bounds of authority, who in fact, have endured somewhat of an abnormal upbringing, faced financial strain or suffered from a lack of self-identity. But does that mean that these men/women are innate, morally wicked, deceitful criminals who beat the “system” to earn the level of employment that would enable them to continue without discovery or reproach a lifestyle of undercover crime against the very people they swore to serve and protect or those they swore to revent from continuing in crime?
For some the answer would be yes, for others it may very well be that their circumstances or situation may have tainted their ethical and professional propensity to evolve into a life of crime under cover-hiding behind the code of silence. Baltimore police officer charged in drug corruption case, 25 year old Ashley Roane a Baltimore police officer arrested for accepting money from who she believed to be a drug dealer, but he was actually an informant for the FBI agency in an investigation.
The officer provided the informant with information which llowed them to commit fraudulent acts such as social security numbers, clearance for drug trafficking and fraudulent tax refunds. Roane could face 17 years or more for her actions if convicted of these charges. Not only did she break the very same laws she agreed to withhold but she involved family members and friends who were arrested for various charges as well. (Fenton, 2013, The Sun). An officer was charged with human trafficking, a prostitution lead by him and his wife.
Another case, Officer James Smith charged with the murder of his wife leading to a standoff with his fellow fficers which lasted for hours. A lead detective charged with committing assault and burglary while in search of his missing daughter, Detective Daniel T. Nicholson IV assaulted too people during his search. Conclusion In view of the informational contained within my research, I would have to ask why have these type of acts continued on throughout the many years to the present.
Is it because the system is more lenient towards its own; meaning the criminal Justice system: police, lawyers, Judges and such, some of the crimes were so monstrous I remain in dismay at the many crimes and depth of these crimes. This is one of the reasons the citizens fear the police, they never know what to expect when that I viewed which carried death penalties were overturned due to something prosecutors leaked, or some other broken code of ethics, the same ethics they themselves were sworn into when they decided to protect and serve.
This may be a never-ending problem with our Justice system by the looks of things. With corruption so wide spread who can we the citizens/people trust when we can’t trust the police. Is this the manner/direction in which we desire our cities to run, are we prepared for nation in which there are no true honorary leaders, ones we can trust and look up to? How do we correct the correction system, where do we start? The criminal Justice system is there still Justice there Reference Banks, C (2013), Criminal Justice Ethics. 3rd Edition). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications Danziger Bridge shootings, (2005): ask. com/wiki/ New_Orleans_Police_Department Dickerson, M. (2012): American Mafia History, http:// americanmafiahistory. com/ Hamil, D. (2009), finally, Justice for victims of Mafia Cops Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa:http://www. nydailynews. com/news/crime/ inally-Justice-victims-mafia-cops-louis-eppolito-stephen-caracappa- article-I . 369419#ixzz2kBKmsusk Marzulli,J. nd Mcshane, L (2009); Daily News Staff, ‘Mafia Cops’ Louis Eppolito, Stephen Caracappa sentenced to life in prison: http:// www. nydailynews. com/news/crime/mafia-cops-louis-eppolito-stephen-caracappa- sentenced-life-prison-article-I . 366777#ixzz2kBHOXYzn Martinelli T. (2006): Unconstitutional Policing: The Ethical Challenges in Dealing with Noble Cause Corruption The Police Chief, vol. 73, no http://www. policechiefmagazine. org/ magazine/index. cfm%3Ffuseaction%3Ddisplay_arch%26article