Police Officer Accountability

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Police Officer Accountability Accountability has become a big thing in today’s policing practices. An officer is accountable for the community, the department, and themselves (Peak, 2012). With accountability of every action they make as an officer puts more strain and concern on them as an officer and can interfere with the officer’s split- decision making process. The first question I need to respond to as part of this exercise is In a situation where an officer is forced to make a split second decision for example when in pursuit, what are the ramifications of that decision in relation to accountability that officer. In a situation as this the the accountability of the officer includes maintaining public safety, as well as the offenders, abide by the law in apprehending the offender that put everyone around in danger, that was left to you to uphold, and ensure the reasoning for the pursuit is identifiable to be held up in court. The ramifications include completing all of the above successfully, or being responsible for a possible tragedy. The second part of this assignment requests that we Give an example of a specific situation where accountability for their actions may affect their decision making in enforcing the law. An example officers face that they may take into their accountability when making a decision is: An officer is patrolling the streets and notices that a car swerving irrationally from one side of the road to off the road. He decides to pull the car over under probable cause that something is not right. When approaching the car, he sees that it is his fellow officer who is begging him to just follow him home because he had a few drinks and no one to drive him. The on duty officer is going to be held accountable if someone is hurt or killed by the off duty officer’s negligence to obey the law. Therefore putting the accountability of the

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