CJ340_ Unit 10 Assignment
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UNIT 10 ASSIGNMENT
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Unit 10 Assignment
CJ340: Applied Criminal Justice Ethics
Purdue University Global
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Police officers assume a challenging role in society, interacting with a community that often expects much from them. They encounter situations that necessitate split-second life-or-
death decisions. In these circumstances, an officer's ethical framework may undergo testing as they grapple with the choice between teleological ethics, which prioritizes the greater good, and deontological ethics, which is duty-based. This video presents three cases for examination, focusing on determining the ethical or unethical nature of an officer's conduct and its applicability within law enforcement. The cases will be evaluated based on the established ethical framework, and the impact of the behavior on the community and law enforcement as a whole will be considered. The analysis of these cases serves to promote a deeper understanding of the complex ethical challenges faced by police officers in their line of work. Such an understanding can inform the development of training for officers, as well as the implementation of policies and procedures that prioritize ethical conduct and the maintenance of community trust. Police officers frequently face situations that demand rapid decision-making and require them to rely on their training and expertise to select the best possible option. However, officers occasionally make inappropriate decisions due to inadequate training or poor judgment. Such ethical or unethical choices can determine whether an officer is suitable to serve as a police officer. This paper examines three police-related videos and evaluates whether the choices were moral or immoral, utilizing relevant theories to direct our analysis. Police departments play a critical role in ensuring that their officers are well-equipped to make informed decisions and are held accountable for unethical ones. Neglecting to scrutinize these decisions can lead to a pattern
of unethical behavior within the department, eroding public trust.
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The initial video delves into the contentious matter of New York City's stop-and-frisk policy. Recently, this policy has been a subject of intense debate, and the video provides an in-
depth analysis of the issue. The video aims to provide a clear and comprehensive understanding of the policy, the criticisms it has faced, and the various perspectives surrounding it. The discussion will shed light on the policy's impact on the community and its effectiveness in achieving its objectives. The stop-and-frisk policy implemented by the New York City Police Department has been controversial for several years. An in-depth video analysis scrutinizes the contentious policy, which has been analyzed for its effectiveness and impartiality. The analysis provides extensive details regarding the policy's implementation and target demographic groups within the city. The NYPD has primarily focused its implementation of stop-and-frisks, commonly called "a 250," on individuals of color in high-crime areas. The video analysis reveals
that the policy has disproportionately affected people of color, who constitute the majority of those subjected to stop-and-frisks.
NYPD Keep Your Hands Off Me is a movement that aims to change stop-and-frisk policies due to racial profiling. Only 6% of arrests result from stop-and-frisks, and only 1.2% of the stops discover a weapon. 84% of minorities feel that repeated stops lead to fear and trust issues with authority. The video shows that the New York City Police Department (NYPD) engages in unethical behavior, with officers obeying orders from higher-ranking individuals within the department or agency. The stop-and-frisk policy primarily targets communities with elevated crime rates, purportedly intending to enhance the neighborhood and reduce crime. However, such practices have been widely criticized as unethical. The video shows NYPD officers serving the community and striving to maintain safety while dealing with individuals who exhibit criminal tendencies and seek to evade the law.
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The second video under review shows police officers from Washington State caught driving above the speed limit without responding to an emergency call. The state troopers had set
up a speed trap to catch speeding drivers, during which they noticed police officers driving above
the speed limit by more than 15 MPH without using any emergency equipment or responding to any emergency calls. One officer was driving towards Dunkin Doughnuts, and the other was moving towards his workplace, where he worked as a driving instructor. This behavior is unethical because law enforcement officials must uphold and follow the law. If police officers are not responding to an emergency call, they must comply with all traffic laws and regulations. Police officers must always abide by the rules they enforce. If they are speeding without justifiable reason, they cannot prevent others from breaking the law.
Deontological ethics
is the theoretical framework that applies to this situation. The officers' actions in the video are inherently wrong, irrespective of the outcome. While the police officers may still uphold specific laws, they are simultaneously violating other laws. The laws they are breaking, such as speeding, endanger public safety and reflect poorly on the officers' conduct. Disregard for public safety is a significant issue. Speeding 15 MPH over the posted speed
limit is a severe offense in most states, and allowing police officers to do it is unacceptable. Police officers caught speeding should be subjected to driving probation. Furthermore, they should be assigned to a bike patrol unit and undergo retraining by attending a driving course with
new cadets. This approach would ensure they are better equipped to observe and uphold all laws,
including traffic regulations, and prevent further misconduct.
The final video I reviewed depicts an Austin Police officer who stopped an African American motorist for speeding. Upon instructing Mrs. King to return her feet to the confines of
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the vehicle, the officer issued a second verbal command to comply and directed her to exit the car as she was being placed under arrest. However, Mrs. King failed to heed the officer's instructions, leading him to remove her from the vehicle physically. Despite repeated attempts to arrest Mrs. King, she resisted, prompting the officer to place her on the ground. The altercation continued until the arrival of another officer. After the occurrence, the police chief denounced the
officers' actions and relieved them of their patrol duties pending an investigation. The ethical nature of the officer's actions remains a subject of debate. On the other hand, conducting traffic stops is considered one of the most dangerous and unpredictable situations an officer of the law may encounter. As a result, such circumstances call for officers to exercise the utmost caution and employ all means necessary to control the situation and ensure the safety of those involved. Accordingly, officers are trained to keep drivers
and passengers inside their vehicles during traffic stops, as this has been proven to be the most effective way of mitigating risks and ensuring the safety of all parties involved.
In the case under review, the officer may have acted following his training and use of force policy. However, Mrs. King's reluctance to follow the officer's instructions led him to escalate his use of force to ensure compliance. While some have argued that the officer's actions were excessive, given that he was more significant than Mrs. King and repeatedly slammed her onto the ground, it is difficult to determine whether or not the officer's actions were warranted based solely on the video evidence presented.
The officer in question subscribed to a teleological approach, believing that his actions were necessary to achieve a positive outcome for the speeding violation. However, it is worth noting that the only unethical part of the video was the comments made by one of the officers during transport back to the police station. The officer's unprofessional remarks should have been
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kept to himself, and he should have resigned for harboring such opinions towards someone of a different skin color. Given the gravity of the matter, the officers involved should be placed on strict probation for violating ethics and required to undergo additional ethical training. In addition, termination is a viable option. In conclusion, law enforcement officials face moral dilemmas and decision-making challenges daily. The approach and handling of these issues may differ from individual perspectives, but the ultimate goal is to ensure that laws are upheld, and communities are safe and livable. The use of discretion by police officers is essential to foster respect and trust within the society. When community members trust the officers who patrol their neighborhoods, they are likelier to report crimes rather than remain silent. It is, however, essential to note that some communities do not trust the police, and changing this perception may take time, but it is necessary for the greater good of society.
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References
ABC News. (2013, May 1). NYPD's stop-and-frisk: Racial profiling or 'proactive policing'? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jqXeW5C324
ABC News. (2014, October 10). Washington police caught speeding past state troopers [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmVVZRtrY5g
CBS News. (2016, July 22). The video shows a white cop in a violent confrontation with a black motorist. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/video-shows-white-cop-in-violent-confrontation-with-
black-motorist/
Pollock, J. M. (2021). Ethical Dilemmas and Decisions in Criminal Justice (11th ed.). Cengage Learning US. https://purdueuniversityglobal.vitalsource.com/books/9780357512951