Law Enforcement Code of Ethics
There are many conflicts between the formal law enforcement code of ethics and the police subculture. Police officers are sworn to not take part in any corrupt actions. When this happens other officers do not report the actions and stand with those corrupt officers. The officers have sworn to only use force when absolutely necessary yet there are many cases where suspects are beaten and injured while being arrested by over-aggressive officers. Other officers will cover up these actions when filing reports. Police officers do not treat suspects with dignity in many situations. When officers witness the actions of others, they do not report these cases to superiors.
The ethical dilemmas that these conflicts can cause include the public not trusting the police force patrolling their communities. The citizens feel they are guilty until proven innocent. There can be uprising in communities where these actions are taking place causing more instability in high crime areas. When a suspect is arrested, they are more likely to resist arrest due to the perception that they may be abused while in custody.
The law enforcement code and the cop code are tied to public perceptions on the role of law enforcement because the citizens believe the complete force is corrupt due to the actions of a few officers. The actions of just a few officers are put on the news for viewers to see. The officers that covered up the actions of the rogue officers looked just as guilty to the public. There have been cases where rogue officers were videotaped performing illegal acts and facing no punishment. These actions make the public feel that all cops are rogue.
Pollock, J. M. (2004). Ethics in crime and justice: Dilemmas and decisions (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.