You have been promoted from first- line supervisor and now hold a position of an executive officer (below the head of the agency) in a police department or correctional facility. You are aware of several officers who have long been the subjects of a disproportionally high rate of excessive use of force complaints. One of these officers is the brother of the head of the agency you work for, and you are aware that each of these use of force complaints has been dismissed.
The purpose of this assignment is for you to be able to identify an ethical dilemma and the responsibilities of the ethical leader and make recommendations for strategies for improvement. In your final project, you will be using these skills to identify these components in your selected case study.
Prompt
In the form of a memorandum, complete the following:
• Ethical dilemma(s): Discuss the ethical dilemma(s) you and the agency face. How does this issue affect the community?
• Responsibilities of ethical leader: What are your responsibilities as a leader in this situation? Discuss how you would properly address this as a leader and ethical professional.
• Impact of decision: Discuss how your decisions on this issue dealing with officers using excessive force may impact the culture of the organization.
• Strategies for improvement: What strategies can you recommend that will help to improve the relationship between the community and the organization as you address this issue?
• Support your work with scholarly evidence from the text or outside sources.
Ethical dilemma(s) you and the agency face
Full Answer Section
This situation presents a number of ethical dilemmas. First, there is the issue of whether the brother of the head of the agency is receiving preferential treatment. If he is, this would be a clear violation of the department's policies and procedures. Second, there is the issue of the public's trust in the police department. If the community believes that the department is not holding officers accountable for using excessive force, this will erode public trust. Responsibilities of Ethical Leader As an ethical leader, I have a responsibility to address this issue. I must ensure that all officers are held accountable for their actions, regardless of their relationship to the head of the agency. I must also work to rebuild the public's trust in the police department. I would properly address this issue by conducting a thorough investigation of the excessive use of force complaints against the brother of the head of the agency. If the investigation finds that he has used excessive force, I will recommend that he be disciplined or terminated. I will also meet with the community to discuss the issue and to address their concerns. Impact of Decision My decisions on this issue will have a significant impact on the culture of the organization. If I do not hold the brother of the head of the agency accountable, it will send a message to other officers that they can get away with using excessive force. This will further erode public trust in the police department. However, if I do hold the brother of the head of the agency accountable, it will send a message that the department is serious about holding officers accountable for their actions. This will help to rebuild public trust in the police department. Strategies for Improvement In addition to holding officers accountable for using excessive force, there are a number of other strategies that can be implemented to improve the relationship between the community and the police department. These include:- Increasing transparency and accountability. The police department should be more transparent about its use of force policies and procedures. The department should also be more transparent about the investigations of excessive use of force complaints.
- Providing better training for officers. Officers should be trained on the proper use of force and on how to de-escalate situations.
- Building relationships with the community. The police department should make an effort to build relationships with the community. This can be done by attending community events, meeting with community leaders, and listening to the concerns of the community.