Police and Law Enforcement Essay

Submitted By GUTTAH1
Words: 982
Pages: 4

Criminal Justice workers, such as police officers, correctional officers, judges, and attorneys, are commonly held to a specific standard and values. In my opinion, any persons/agency operating in the law enforcement process are held to higher standard than the rest of society because they are given authority over the general population. They have the authority to arrest people and temporarily detain them of their right to move about as they desire. They are given the authority to take a life. They are supposed to be the protectors of society and the enforcers of the rules society has set forth. As such, their character must be beyond reproach. They are also supposed to be examples of how people should behave, even when no one else is around. In a democratic society, two values are fundamental: the rule of law and safeguarding communities. Law enforcement officers have the unique responsibility to not only protect these values, but also to provide protection of citizens’ rights. A law enforcement agency code of ethic sets the standards for ethical behavior and is deemed necessary in the development of national integrity systems. The Code of Ethics states that law enforcement agencies must uphold the law regardless of the race or social status of the offender. They must not abuse their powers in order to give special treatment or take advantage of certain people. Law enforcement officers exist to serve the community. They also uphold the law. Their actions are restricted by those very same laws. They must also hold themselves to a higher standard of behavior both in their professional as well as personal lives, as expected by the general public. They must not be seen to abuse their power, live beyond their means, or be immoral. Training law enforcement officers is a serious responsibility that continues throughout an officer’s career. Developing officer leadership skills is at the foundation of nurturing a quality law enforcement officer and a quality agency.
Yes managing criminal justice professionals varies depending on private and public management. Like any organization, state and local criminal justice agencies must cope with issues of organizational management and employ the management styles that best allow them to achieve their objectives of crime prevention, adjudication of criminal offenses, and punishment of offenders. Management science has, over the years, developed different styles of management that could apply to law enforcement agencies, criminal courts, and correctional facilities and departments. We also must prepare law enforcement leaders to instill the proper values and decision-making ethics so that both the individual member of an agency and its organizational culture are transformed. Every officer is a leader regardless of rank and is expected to conduct him or herself consistent with recognized leadership behaviors. There is a distinct need to balance character with competence. Law enforcement officers must possess the leadership skills, capacity, and courage for effective operation. Creating a culture of leadership is a process that takes place over time and encompasses many things, including education and training, modeling appropriate behavior from current leaders, mentoring, and coaching. The Law Enforcement Leadership Initiative (LELI) is designed to increase a greater understanding of leadership competencies for law enforcement. While considerable writing and research exist about leadership development in the business sector and military, similar efforts for law enforcement are incomplete. Through research and the involvement of subject-matter experts from a wide array of professional organizations, LELI is constructing baseline competencies for law enforcement.

In conclusion, Criminal Justice workers, such as police officers, correctional officers, judges and attorneys are commonly held to a specific standard of values. Also in my opinion Law