Week 3 Assignment - Ethics and the Police

Question

Ram Kumar · Accepted Answer

Objective:

Answer the following questions in well-developed sentences or short paragraphs.

Question 1:  
Explain whether the actions of Officer Langdon support perceptions of the law enforcement as crime fighters/warriors or public servants/guardians.

In light of the fact that law enforcement officers serve as public servants and guardians, I believe that Langdon made the right decision in taking the measures that he did. He did not take a combative stance toward the matter, and he examined it from a fresh point of view. Peggy Hertz's safety may not have been as high of an officer Langdon's priority as his own safety, as I believe he was more worried about what would happen to himself. Even though she was going above the speed limit, he simply gave her a warning. However, he could have given her a ticket. However, her actions may have necessitated some repercussions for other persons on the road, such as pedestrians or bicycles who ride on the street and are more susceptible when being struck by automobiles. Officer Langdon gives the impression that he did not want to be cruel or unpleasant to the mayor.

Question 2:

Summarize the codes of ethics that Officer Langdon encountered in the scenario.

To answer this question, I would say that the ethical code did not play any role whatsoever in Langdon's decision-making process. I feel that he was more worried about the opinions of his colleagues and superiors if he had chosen not to issue a ticket to Mayor Hertz. In addition to this, the fact that he just issued her a warning demonstrates that he most likely did not perceive her to be a danger.

To provide a brief synopsis of the codes of ethics, Officer Langdon should have acted in accordance with the law, but he should not have gone so far as to suspend her license. It was possible for him to issue more than just a warning. These behaviors constitute a breach of the ethical rules that have been established. The officer's attention may be better served by focusing on the resolution of criminal cases, which would result in a safer environment across the city.

Question 3:

Compare and contrast the values of police with the code of ethics.

In a head-to-head comparison between the values held by police officers and the code of ethics, I would have to conclude that the prevention of criminal activity is more essential than adhering to any code of ethics. However, in order to fulfill their duty of keeping the populace safe from any potential threats, police personnel often have to adhere to stringent standards. The right of the citizen to be safe is one that should not be disregarded by those in positions of authority in the government.

Question 4:

Classify the type of discretion used by Officer Langdon in the scenario. Explain your response.

In the example, Officer Langdon used a kind of discretion known as secrecy/confidentiality; yet, I can see that he made a mistake when he did not issue the ticket since he should have given her a citation for speeding and he did not issue the ticket because he wanted to maintain confidentiality. Because he would not have been subject to criticism from the general public had he given her a ticket, I feel that this was the greatest option that he could have made. Peggy Hertz could have believed that she could get away with any crime if he had not given her the ticket. She might also have believed that other mayors in the future would get away with crimes of a similar kind.

Because Officer Langdon didn't have a valid justification to issue her a citation rather than a warning for speeding, I consider this instance of discretion to be one that falls under the category of secrecy/confidentiality. However, based on what Mayor Hertz stated to Officer Langdon, I believe that he behaved more out of personal sentiments than anything else. Officer Langdon's objective was to do his duties in the best possible manner. Officer Langdon took the time to clarify his identity to the lady, and I believe that this demonstrated to her how seriously he took his position as a law enforcement official. Due to the nature of these activities, he was unable to use his judgment since he was required to be consistent with everyone else.

Officer Langdon is not the ideal model of a law enforcement officer in my view; nonetheless, he did his best to show Mayor Hertz respect even though she displayed disdain toward him. This is despite the fact that Mayor Hertz expressed disrespect toward Officer Langdon. Officer Langdon might have handled the issue in a variety of alternative ways, some of which would have been better and others of which would have been different. If I were Officer Langdon in this situation, I would give Mayor Hertz a citation for speeding and then most likely give her a call to tell her about the repercussions of speeding and striking pedestrians or bicycles.

Week 3 Assignment - Ethics and the Police

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