Common forms of misconduct are excessive use of physical or Deadly Force, discriminatory arrest, physical or verbal harassment, and selective enforcement of the law (Saucier, 2001). Police corruption is the abuse of police authority for personal gain. Corruption may involve profit or another type of material benefit gained illegally as a consequence of the officer's authority. Typical forms of corruption include Bribery, Extortion, receiving or fencing stolen goods, and selling drugs. The term also refers to patterns of misconduct within a given police department or special unit, particularly where offenses are repeated with the acquiescence of superiors or through other ongoing failure to correct them (Saucier 2001).
(n.d.) Retrieved from http://definitions.uslegal.com/p/police-brutality/) Police brutality has been an issue in the past and it continues today. Police brutality is not only physical harm but it’s also psychological harm. We need to analyze how much police brutality really goes on out there. We also need to be aware of how often police brutality goes on, and how we as citizens can minimize it by reporting it when we see it or if it happens to us. We know that police officers use excessive force, and they also use their authority to verbally abuse people.
Once an officer is involved in any type of form of corruption it can interfere with the police officer’s performance. Police corruption has been in existence for decades upon decades in the police service in many forms and fashion. Regardless if an officer takes a small bribe or is involve in a drug trade, corruption exists and results in the performance of law enforcement officers being affected. In the following essay the writer will attempt to identify the various forms or types of police corruption and provide an understanding on how police corruption interferes with the performance of its members. Ethics involve making moral judgments about what is right or wrong.
Controlling Police Brutality The police have served an integral part in society as out protectors. Throughout the years, however, scholars as well as we citizens have begun to question the use of force, racism and internal corruption as well as other forms of misconduct by our officers of the law. The excessive use of force by police officers persists because of overwhelming barriers to their accountability. For instance, when police do get in trouble, it is normally a slap on the wrist, a lecture or loss of a vacation day as it stated in the article “Good Cop Bad Cop.” This fact makes it possible for officers who commit these violations to escape punishment and then often repeat their offenses. Every report of abuse is often met with denial or explanation of why the abuse was necessary instead of taking any real action like a suspension or removal of their badge in most cases.
In addition, gangs increasingly are smuggling large quantities of heroin, cocaine, and MDMA (also known as ecstasy) into the United States. Local street gangs in rural, suburban, and urban areas transport drugs within very specific areas, most of what seem to be low socio-economical areas. Some gangs collect millions of dollars per month selling illegal drugs, trafficking weapons, operating prostitutions rings, and selling stolen property. Gangs launder their proceeds by investing in real estate, recording studios, motor cycle shops, and construction companies. The extent of gangs/drugs A proliferation in gangs will also mean a growth in drug and violence in our community’s and threatening society in general.
These facts make it possible for officers who commit human rights violations to escape due punishment and often repeat their offenses. Widespread police brutality exists in all cities and many countries. The system that is set up to deal with these abuses all had similar failings in each city and other countries. Complainants often face enormous difficulty in seeking administrative punishment or criminal prosecution of officers who have committed human rights violations. A national survey was taken by Seattle Times and states that had seventy percent of all police crimes against the public go unreported (Database of Abusive Police).Despite claims to the contrary from city officials where abuses have become scandals in the media, efforts to make meaningful reforms have fallen short.
It demonstrates that racism is still very real and that people continue to be treated based on the color of their skin. It was one of “the most visible uses of force by police in this country`s history “and put the issue of police brutality on the national agenda. The king beating set off a chain of events that enflamed racial, ethnic, and social tensions in Los Angeles. It caused six days of riots and rebellion, calls
Personal Crime Analysis Dawn Wright CJA/354 July 4,2011 Kristin Mildenberger Personal Crime Analysis When an individual harms another individual of any age has just been committed of a personal crime. A personal crime, also known as violent crimes, which may result in an attempt to do the crime or the suspect has successfully completed the crime. Each jurisdiction are different by the way they run their units, most are running a homicide unit and a sex unit to take care of the hundreds of caseloads that are reported. Examples of personal crimes are homicide, assault, battery, mayhem, rape and statutory rape. The rates of these personal crimes vary depending on one’s judgement that has been made.
Racism, a big part of police misconduct, has become a major problem in the police force. Police officers have a tendency to harass the homeless, young persons, and minorities, among with many other groups of people. Every law enforcement officer or other government official, whether federal, state, county, city, municipal, or otherwise, takes an oath of office and promises to serve and to protect. Unfortunately, over the years we have witnessed such abominations as the Rodney King beating, a graphically disturbing atrocity caught on videotape, or the Nathaniel Jones beating in Cincinnati. We read or hear stories about Amidou Diallo, an unarmed man, being shot forty-one times by the NYPD.
The very people whose job is to protect society will deceive people to make illegal money. The politicians that society elects are no better than the corrupt police officers when he or she takes payoffs from organized crime group. Television programs have made me think about organized crime groups as only large groups that make big money. The neighborhood gang is an organized crime group that disrupts the neighborhood and has no respect for members of the community. Movies like American Gangster made me more interested in learning about organized crime groups.