Robert Barton Essay

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Case Study: Officer Robert Barton CJA474 January 12th, 2015 Case Study: Officer Robert Barton There is much that could be said about young Officer Robert Barton. He began his policing career straight out of high school and greatly excelled. He worked hard with the police squad, working side by side with his brothers in blue. He had many friends that viewed the job the same as he did, and they all believed that they were in position to uphold the law and protect citizens from criminals. He moved his career forward and joined the Joint Gang Task Force where he worked with a whole new group of individuals who shared the exact goals and ideals to the letter. Working this task force changed Robert, however, and now he might not know right from wrong. If someone does not step in soon, the entire integrity of the task force could be at stake. Subcultures of Policing Subcultures can be defined as “the cultural values and behavioral patterns distinctive of a particular group in society” (Subculture, 2015). This means that there are certain behaviors that set members of a group apart from others. This is a part of policing, and it is something that will always exist. It can be positive because it brings the policing team closer together. It makes sure that the officers have the same goals and focuses and can work together in order to get the job completed. This is part of what Robert Barton felt and witnessed when he first joined the police force. He could see how the officers were different than any other group, and how they held each other to certain and ideals that only pertain to the subculture. The police subculture believes that officers should always back up their partner, and every officer should be brave in the face of danger (More, 2012). Cohesiveness: positive or pathological Cohesiveness is a group characteristic that can be a
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