Police corruption
Police corruption
Police corruption is a form of police misconduct that is designed to obtain personal gain, financial benefit, or advancement of career for a police officer with exchange of not carrying out an arrest or investigation. The most common form of corruption that is done by police officers is taking bribes in exchange of not reporting prostitution rings or organized drugs. It is hard to see the prevalence of corruption because most of the corrupt activities normally occur in secret places. The police organizations also have little incentive of publishing information concerning corruption. Corruption is normally defined as abuse of the authority for personal gain. When a police officer places their personal gain ahead of their duty, it results to the violation of the criminal law and the police procedures.
Actions that are corrupt have three elements. These are, they involve expected material gain or reward they are forbidden by some regulations, rules, ethical standards, and laws, and they involve the misuse of the position of the officer (Smith, B & Holmes, M 2008). Police corruption in United States has lasted for more than 100 years with no efforts to eliminate or reduce corruption through departmental programs and reform movements. The practice of corruption is a problem that should have been eliminated long ago. The only problem is that people are not ready to stop offering police officers free services, bribes, and other gratuities. People are also not ready to report the attempt of the officers to benefit from unauthorized practices from their positions. The increase in the cases of police corruption is likely not to decrease but increase.
Police misconduct
Police misconduct is an abuse of the police authority. Misconduct is criminal when it is referring to a police violating the federal and state laws. It is procedural when the police are violating the police departmental regulations and rules. There have been safeguards against the misconduct of the police in the law. The police departments discipline and investigate officers; they establish a code of conduct, and train new recruits. Police misconduct is pervasive in United States, and despite the many efforts to combat it, it is persistent and there is no systematic way of solving the problem.The misconduct from the officers is spoiling the police departments and also ruining the relationship between them and people (Forst, L & Dempsey, J 2010). Police misconduct has seized being a local problem as the United Nations has developed behavior standards to guide countries with police misconduct. This indicates that police misconduct should be controlled and monitored by an outside party.
Police brutality
Police brutality can be defined as the abuse of authority by inflicting excessive force by people involved in law enforcement while performing their duties. Police brutality cause physical harm and it can also psychological harm. In United States, there are two forms of police misconducts that are sexual misconduct and excessive force (Siegel, L 2010). People of color are greatly impacted by police brutality because of the built in racism that runs through the criminal justice system. Brutality may be associated with differences in socio economic status, politics, race, and religion.There are some police who view this population as deserving to be punishment. It is evident that the victims of police brutality normally belong from groups that are powerless like the young, minority, and the poor. The role of the police is complex in the society. They are usually entrusted with power to be used against and for people that they have sworn to protect and serve. Violence from the police as a result of their brutality can cause serious physical harm, and it can also lead to wrongful death. The police department has had many cases of police brutality, which some have been settled well by relieving the police officers involved their duty, but some have not been given careful investigation.
Cases of police misconduct and corruption
One case of police corruption is the case of Mr. Nannery who was a former police sergeant. The prosecutor accused the police of breaking into apartments and stole money. Nannery has been sentenced for three years, and after he rejected his plea, the justice of the state supreme court said that the sergeant had failed to train young officers to be lawful and responsible. Instead, he had trained them to be thieves and criminals. According to the justice, that was the case which had been presented as the worst corruption case. This case of corruption has created mistrust between the city residents and the police. During the sentencing of Nannery, he said to the judge that he had learnt his lesson and that he was ready to change and amend his ways. I believe Nannery deserved to receive the punishment that the justice offered. However, I would prefer that once he completes his jail term, he should be released off his duty. This will serve as a lesson to many other police officers who have the same behavior. The judgment given to the sergeant was fair. It will help in reducing cases of police corruption and help in building back trust between the police and then public.
Case of police brutality
A case of police brutality involving a Passaic police officer and a student was reported on May 2005. Mena a former student sued the city of Passaic after a police officer struck him using a night stick on the head. This incidence occurred during an off campus party. Mena was trying to resolve a fight during the party in a fundraiser for AIDS that was held in Passaic. When the police arrived, he struck Mena using a night stick on his head thus opening a wound at the back of his head. This lead to Mena being hospitalized and he was later charged with resisting arrest, simple assault, and disorderly conduct. Later, the charges were dismissed when the police officer Luis de los Santos claimed that he did not mean to strike Mena on the head, but on the arm. The city of Passaic agreed to settle the agreement where they paid $150,000 for settling the allegation that had been brought by the student on police brutality. However, Luis de los Santos still remain on the job. This is an outcome that I clearly do not agree with because it is clear that the police meant to hurt the student. Having struck the boy on the head opening a wound indicate that it would have caused more harm if it was on his arm maybe even breaking Mena’s arm. The police department should make sure that officers who are involved in brutality should not remain in their job positions.
Reference
Bayley, D & Perito, R (2011). Police corruption United States institute of peace
Siegel, L (2010). Introduction to criminal justice Cengage Learning
Forst, L & Dempsey, J (2010). An introduction to policing Cengage Learning
Smith, B & Holmes, M (2008). Race and police brutality State university of New York Press
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