Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.

Introduction

Policing and generate Ethical standards include moral values such as honesty, bravery, allegiance and commitment to work in a principled manner. The Ethics Code allows the police officers to evaluate their behaviour and duty to the public (Whyatt, Wood and Callaghan, 2012). I believe that the Co​​de of Ethics is all about professionalising the facility and giving the responsible people within it a comprehensible guide on moral behaviour and decision-making process. The purpose of the reflective essay is to reflect my understanding and knowledge acquired from the materials used for writing about the professional policing and code of ethic that has transformed the police culture. This reflective piece will help demonstrate my understanding and learning acquired from the weekly sessions as well as the significance of the learning obtained. It will also be highlighting the progression of my knowledge on the specified topic through extensive research.

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Changes in Police culture by Professional Policing and Ethical Codes

Demonstration and understating from weekly sessions

The weekly sessions had proved to be quite effective as it inculcated the development of my knowledge about various ethical codes and standards.Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay. The first week was the introductory sessions as it gave an overview of the topic which will be covered throughout the session. This introductive gathering was quite helpful as it gave me an overview of the way police officers work. We were taught to keep a Pocket Note Book like the police officers as they tend to jot down points for further analysis and it assists them to arrive at the conclusion for any incident (Mahoney, 2013). This helped me to understand the perspective and viewpoint of the police officer and think in accordance with their vision. The second week gave a comprehensive picture about the Origin and History of police and their ways of management in the past. This week was crucial as it showcased the development and growth of policing in United Kingdom. Getting to know about the historical perspective on policing, I was able to critically analyse the present scenario and appreciate the current progression of ethical codes. Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.As argued by Council (2012), it was the accepted and implemented ethical codes has presented an opportunity to the police officers to be identified as an ethical profession. Ethical standards have assisted the police to be accepted by the general public and created a sense of trust and confidence between them and the police service. Ethical code adoption and implementation has escalated the level of education for attaining the services involving comprehensive ethical decision making. In doing so, the value in accordance to the policing service may be transported in respect to the societal improvement.Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.

The lecture on Police Culture and Sub-culture happened during the 15^th week threw light on the policing strategies and ethical norms. As opined by Heslop (2019), the Police officers as well as the other law administration officers sometimes tend to get involved in unethical conduct that normally originates from the standards and customs linking to the culture of the police organization. It means that the ethics of the police might be completely conflicting to the ‘normative social morality’.

As stated by Caless (2011), an upgrade has been recorded in education of police officers and efforts are made to inculcate moral and ethical principles in the police and law enforcement officers. Yet, there are many officers refusing to pay any respect to the guidelines and protocols. They tend not to adhere to these guidelines. This gap needs to be taken care of and the officers must follow the norms and guidelines presented to them before interacting or communicating with the general public.

Learning acquired from guest Lecturers

The guest lecture in week 13 was Win Bernard who a retired Police Superintendent and also was a Senior Investigating Officer who was responsible to manage large teams of Detectives inspecting Complex and Serious Crime. He really helped me understand the ethical norms and considerations the police have to follow to investigate a crime. He being an International Hostage Negotiator was awarded the Queens Police Medal for his role in the Stansted Hi-Jacking in 2001. He vividly elaborated the manner in which a police officer must speak or communicate to the media. He explained the challenges and opportunities posed by this tumultuous relationship.

As my topic is related to the development and growth of ethical codes and the way it has affected the policing strategies, therefore, week 18 proved to be quite significant for my research. The struggle of Policing in recent times is keeping pace with the digital world and technological era. For this a guest lecturer, Tine Munk, a speaker at Middlesex University assisted me to understand the complexity the contemporary police officers have to face with criminal minds.Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.

Development of knowledge through research

The sixth week was a week for independent learning and we had to select a topic related to policing of our interest. This week I was able to research extensively about the changes in ethical standard of policing which assisted me to compare and contrast the growth. The research was conducted through news forums, academic articles, books, journal and social media. This exercise was beneficial as I was able to develop capabilities to critically analyse and prepare for the next week study.Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.

Conclusion

The police officers have various restrictions, ethical standards, laws, guidelines and policies that needs to be effectively followed while communicating with the general population. I was able to establish this by the help of weekly sessions, workshops, guest lecturers and extensive research. Therefore, after significant amount of research it can be established that the transition from the past and current scenario is huge, yet there is a need for some officers to adhere to the standards regulations and follow ethical guidelines.Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.

Introduction

The history regarding ethics is considered to be priceless and extensive that have its origin in the history concerning philosophy itself. Initially, Socrates was the one who was concerned with and engrossed in the ethical questions. Ethics encompasses a significant portion of the work that has been forwarded by Aristotle as well as Plato. An understanding in relation to the history concerning ethics is regarded as imperative in order to appreciate and understand several theories and debates, which includes even the contemporary ones.Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay. For example, the primordial philosophers like Aristotle and Plato emphasizes on the question or query as to what may give rise to a good and prosperous life. Finding solutions to such question has caused the primordial philosophers to create and cultivate theories relating to character and virtue.Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay. Conversely, the philosophers of the modern world have emphasized on the ethical requirements that are placed on the individuals in order to give rise to a sense of responsibility, obligation and rightful conduct. It has been expressed by Plato that for formulating an idyllic society where all the members may live a happy and secure life, it is essential that the ‘guardians of the state’ are objective, well-trained and mostly not self-serving. The primary purpose and objective of ethics, being a subdivision of philosophy, is to ensure the application of valid ideologies that would be influential in regulating and managing actions of the humans and creating good character. This paper shall forward a discussion in relation to the fact that in what manner the code relating to ethics and professional policing have altered and modified the culture and beliefs of the police in the United Kingdom.Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.

Discussion

The institution of Public Police forwards a firm and resilient view in relation to the uniqueness and exceptionality regarding their occupation that is principally characterized by certain exceptional rudiments in connection to the police milieu, specifically authority, efficiency as well as danger. According to Harrison, it is generally believed by the police that it would be impossible for the non-police to grasp or understand the problems, severities and inflexibilities that are present in the work of the police. It is the presumption of the police that the expectations of the general populace from the police are impractical and often inappropriate. Hence, several quantum of ethical dilemmas and issues exists in policing.Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay. As per Kingshott and Prinsloo, it is a known fact that the Police officers and other law enforcement officers do get involved in unethical conduct that generally originates or initiates from the customs and standards relating to the culture of the police organization. It may mean that the morality of the police may be entirely contrasting to the ‘normative social morality’. It has been observed by McCarthy and McCarthy as well as Braswell that because of the presence of moral proximity, working and living in the policing world provides the officers with the capability to excuse, justify and rationalize unethical conduct or behavior, while upholding a moral and an honorable self-image.”Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.  This paradox or absurdity is prevalently called the ‘Dirty Harry Dilemma’. As per Harrison and Reiner, the police justify that a decent, an upright and a convincing moral consequence is attained through dirty means. However, when the initial official police bureaucracy was introduced, measures were given effect to among other primary objectives so that corruption may be minimalized in among the law enforcement officers. In an endeavor to control and restrict corruption, the police organization became exceedingly consolidated and importance was placed upon procedural consistency, anonymous and separate authority, and restricted discretion (Heslop 2019).Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.

The ‘functionalist’ description or elucidation regarding professions may perhaps permit the ethical welfare in relation to the police service in the instance of being a profession due to the functional significance of policing in respect of the society. From the historical viewpoint, an argument may be forwarded that originally, the notion relating to a police officer arose as a craftsperson occupation, which drew and attracted its members from working class. However, it may also be perceived that with the advancement and progression of the service concerning police, the class difference modified into a background of the middle class or the lower middle class.Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.  Hence, a prominent and significant development or improvement regarding the function of policing is the altering society, which has observed and witnessed the function of a police or law enforcement officer shift from the status of an artisan to the status of being a professional. According to Brogden, Fefferson and Walklate, such acknowledgement has been labelled or defined as the professionalization regarding the police. The notion or idea relating to ‘professionalism’ inclines towards the suggestion or proposition that a particular professional organization require specific necessities in connection to membership and recruitment. According to Kingshott, if the application of the notion relating to ‘professionalism’ is made in connection to the function of policing, then there must be specific and precise requirements regarding entry, there must be a regulating body of aristocrats, there must be an implementation function that may eliminate any member if such member is unsuccessful in complying with the written directions forwarded in any ethical declaration or any specific code of conduct.  The Western world witnessed a positive transformation or modification that occasioned in the employment of officers who are better educated and have the qualifications for being a graduate.  In the nation of United Kingdom, an overall modification in relation to the recruiting and employing policies as well as the Accelerated Promotion Scheme and the Graduate Entry Scheme were presented in order to change and uplift the perception of the general populace concerning the police or law enforcement officers and the police service (Dehaghani 2019).Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.

A primary function in relation to any profession is perhaps to boost or increase prestige, status and financial recompenses in respect of the members in connection to a specific profession, which delivers a clarification as to why professional status is demanded by the maximum quantum of trades.  However, the modern or conventional notion relating to any profession is in the sense of a normative organization or enterprise where the standards relating to good training and practice are grounded in not just technical or contractual manner, but also in a moral manner. It has been argued by Carr that the normative fundamental in relation to the notion of profession encompasses an arrangement or a structure of ethical and moral principles that may be expressed as obligations or responsibilities.Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay. The significance in connection to such alteration or modification regarding the ethical and moral locus concerning the service of the police organization relates to the fact that a clear and specific ethical locus is usually linked to the prestige or prominence of profession as well as the professional.  Such perception or viewpoint also highlights and acmes the distinctive or exclusive role and the extraordinary status regarding the members in relation to such professions. Regarding such professions, the main danger, risk or peril, which may occur is that consumers or the clients may be defenseless and susceptible to misuse and misconduct on the part of such professional. Due to the intrinsic dangers, risks and perils stated directly above, it is very much mandatory that any specific profession must adopt and implement institutional standards, techniques and processes, so that the consumers or clients may be protected. Such institutional standards and techniques may work in both ways. It shall provide protection to the clients or the consumers, and it shall also provide protection to the members as well. The standards, techniques and processes that are forwarded for the protection of the clients or consumers, those same standards, techniques and processes shall provide protection to the members against any kind of abuse, malpractice or misconduct by a fellow professional.   Moreover, allusions in relation to ‘clients’ infer and suggest excellence, choice and voluntarism, which varies severely considering the experiences and perception that are connected to forced or involuntary consumerism (Oswald and Babuta 2019).Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.

An argument may be forwarded that the acceptance and implementation of a particular ‘code of ethics’ has forwarded an opportunity to the police service and the police organization to be recognized and acknowledged as a profession. The profession relating to police service shall be considered in the same light as any other established and renowned profession. Such other established professions may encompass law (lawyer), medicine (doctor) and studies (professor). All the professions, specified directly above, have contains and fulfills the features of a particular profession. According to Kingshott, the benefits in relation to the adoption of ethical codes must be examined. The benefits may encompass certain advantages. Firstly, there would be an upgrading in the perception of the general populace in relation to the functions of the police. Secondly, the adoption and implementation of the ethical codes shall augment and upgrade the trust as well as the confidence of the general populace in the police organization and the police service. Thirdly, the application of the ethical codes would cause a substantial decline or decrease in the unethical conduct in the police organization and police service. Fourthly, there would be an awareness in relation to the ethical implications regarding the decision-making functions of the police and other law enforcement officers. Fifthly, such adoption and implementation of ethical codes would give rise to an education for achieving the skills relating to sound ethical and moral decision making, and in doing so, the quality in relation to the service of policing that may be delivered in respect of the society, would be improved. Lastly, the personal morality in relation to any specific police officer would be developed. If the aforesaid benefits or advantages can be achieved, then it would develop the private interpersonal, relational and interactive skills regarding the police officers. However, it has been specified by Kingshott that the achievement of the above stated benefits or advantages is unlikely. It has been mentioned that the ‘code of ethics’ concerning the police organization, the police officers and the police service may be considered to be a series of principles, which shall inter-react with several procedural regulations and statutes that are utilized for the regulation of the behavior or the conduct of the police (Al-Khouja et. al. 2020).Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.

An argument has also been forwarded by Stahl in relation to the discussion deliberated above. In the argument, it has been mentioned that the introduction, acceptance and implementation of any specific code in relation to the service of police may be considered to be a negative facet regarding the police administration method. It has been stated that the effort to codify the behavioral standards and guidelines shall have its own related problems. An instance in relation to such problems is the fact that attempts and struggles to predict and stop every possibility regarding any probable transgression or misconduct shall give rise to a bureaucratic arrangement of finding, recognition and implementation, however, would be unsuccessful in building the type of morale and approaches, which shall develop ethical performance (Hough and Stanko 2020).Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.

Conclusion

In the conclusion, it can be said that the police officers and other law enforcement officers have full knowledge in relation to the regulations, guidelines and rules regarding the expected behavior and conduct on their part while interacting with the general populace. There has been an upgrade in relation to the education of the police officers in such regard. Efforts are made in order to institute ethical and moral principles in the police officers and other law enforcement officers. However, there are certain officers who refuse to pay any respect in relation to the regulations and guidelines. They decline to adhere to such regulations and guidelines. The current situation is that certain specific police officers choose to ignore the regulations and guidelines and the other police officers strictly follow such regulations and guidelines. Some regulations or guidelines are treated as binding, and certain other regulations and guidelines are treated as advisory. There are certain rules (as discussed above), which are adhered to by the police officers that do not ascend from police management, but from the practical and rational rules, which are passed unceremoniously from one police officer to the next. This paper has forwarded a discussion in relation to the fact that in what manner the code relating to ethics and professional policing have altered and modified the culture and beliefs of the police in the United Kingdom.Professional Policing and the Code of Ethics Essay.