Not enough can be said for the fine men and women that put on a police uniform and swear to uphold the constitution. However, recent events regarding police corruption has caused concern in mainstream society. If it was an isolated incident then there would not be a problem. Yet, it appears that we are reading about this almost on a daily basis. Is this just a microcosm of society or a sign of the times?
http://www.badcopnews.com/category/new-jersey/
"Make sure you define what others will say about you when you are no longer here." Dr. BLR
This blog was created solely for my students to generate intellectual dialogue with their classmates. Reach one and teach one. Peace.
31 comments:
I think that society forgets that police officers, who although promise to serve and protect, are just the same human beings like you and I. The uniforms perhaps in a way portray them as some sort of super hereo but remove the uniform and badge and you get any other human being who is no where perfect and capable of doing wrong. I think that society should view corrupt cops as individuals and not a group because not all of them are bad. I truely would like to believe that majority of the police force have strong morals, and do aim to serve and protect but they are the ones not being heard. pot0334
I think that society forgets that police officers, who although promise to serve and protect, are just the same human beings like you and I. The uniforms perhaps in a way portray them as some sort of super hereo but remove the uniform and badge and you get any other human being who is no where perfect and capable of doing wrong. I think that society should view corrupt cops as individuals and not a group because not all of them are bad. I truely would like to believe that majority of the police force have strong morals, and do aim to serve and protect but they are the ones not being heard. pot0334
From what I read in the newspaper and watch on TV this seems to a worldwide event. With the cost of everything sky rocketing it would not surprise me for some officers to take advantage of a certain incident to help or improve their lifestyle. After all, the police work in a very tight group and the chances of getting caught are probably slim, but all it takes are the few we see and read about to make it look like every officer out there is corrupt.
2530
Inn society today we see a lot of corrupt officers, but it's never gone be brung to the light because people like us are afraid to fight the law. Also, because officers are so close to each other it'd
s hard t catch them doing corrupt things. I feel this is a sign of the times because we are still being treated like the old times.(5717)
We are all human and not perfect beings and that includes men and women of law enforcement. There will always be corruption no matter what we do, say, or think. This is a microcosm of society and as long there are honest people we will have its opposite, dishonest people.
I believe that being a police officer is not an easy job, police officers are humans that make mistakes, just like all humans do; However there are some cops out there that think that just because they have a uniform and a badge they can do wrong to society, however i will not think this about all cops, i have ran into great cops that do know how to serve the community, so just like in every group you are always going to have the ones that are messed up in the head. (MS 0777)
Police interact in some form with the average citizen more often than any other government official. In society today the
police play a key role in maintaining a civil society. This role assumes a
substantial amount of power and authority over the general public. With power comes corruption and/or misuse of power. The question that is presented is, how and why do the police exceed the parameters of their power and authority?
This is an important issue because it affects all people. The police is a government service to all people, but all people do not
feel they are being serviced. Not everyone is satisfied with the conduct of the police. Why do people feel that police are crossing boundaries that they should not be? People believe that law enforcement officers exceed the parameters of their power and authority by using discretionary enforcement,police harassment, and the unwarranted use of police authority. All of these easily build up to form police corruption.
#5839
Police officers are the same individuals that we all went to school with, they had game then and they will have game in the end. When those individuals find themselves in trouble, then realization hit them in the face. they are still one of us
In my opinion this is a microcosm of society. For every one wrong a police officer does there can be 10 rights that never make the paper or the news. The media focuses on headline that sell and people enjoy hearing about police corruption and police wrong doings. The majority of our police officers are out there risking their lives and doing the right thing. Keeping our cities safe and protectig people which most of the times they don't even know. " Lets not hate but appreciate". (4681)
it is really sad that people take advantage of "the uniform" and instead of doing what they are suposed to do which is keeping us, the communities safe. We have to watch out for them! ( some of them let's not generalized) ...7970
I feel that police officers should abide by the rules MORE then everyone else because they should be leading by example. Corruption within law enforcement occurs because many police officers believe they are above the law and know how to work the system. But their the first ones to use their power against other people. With all of these corrupted officers getting around the law, its making people see that yes cops are human beings, but if they don't even abide by the laws, why do we have to? SPC7202
SPC 5936. I believe it is a sign of the times. Police officers are held with higher standards and most people forget they are regular people too. Whatever form of corruption a police officer gets involved in affects the community. So people want to know these things and make sure that the officers in their community are stable and uncorrupted individuals. People within the community put their faith and trust into officers and they look to officers to resolve any issue they may have. Officers of serve to enforce the law and protect and assist the people.
Yes police officers are human beings, but they are taught the law before they are sworn into office. A police officer knows more than a regular citizen right from wrong in the eyes of the law. How can one go and arrest hundreds of people for some crime or another, read about scandals in the paper, and then go commit the same crime as if they are invincible....spc5294
Corruption has been going on since the beginning of the force. You have some police officers that can't be bought at any cost what so ever and than on the other hand you have some that well sell their souls to the devil for a little greed. You have to remember that you have taken an oath to protect and serve the community not yourself. I can't see a change coming in the near future due to the fact that some officers where taught that this is how it is and you must do what they do in order to make it on the force or they will make your life difficult.spc0460
I think that society and the media only spotlight the negativity. Sure, corruption exists and has existed since the beginning, but that doesn't mean that there is a call for alert. We are reading about this on a daily basis because thats what people want to read. The news [rarely] doesn't print happy stories. spc5965
I think Corruption has always existed. Is just coming out now in the light. More and More people are less tolorent towards police corruption. Even thought they are here to make sure people like me follow the law. They also tend to forget at times that they also need to follow the law. Police officers who tend to be weak get into the habit of taking the job for granted or feeling that they have enough power to brake the law when they want to or is unnecessary due to certain circumstances.
CM4609
An Enlightenment on this topic.
"We need to go back to those old-fashioned values and instill them in our children, and when they know right from wrong, they will
do right."
Peggy A. Quince, Justice
Florida Supreme Court
What we really need to do is to get at the root causes of crime--poverty, homelessness, literacy, mental illness, hopelessness, and drugs. These are the kind of factors that have led to the crime rate in this country, and especially the juvenile crime rate. These are the kind of groups that make up our prison population. A recent study indicates that 70 percent of the people who are in jail are illiterate, about 200,000 suffer from mental illness, and 60 to 80 percent of the people in jail have a history of substance abuse. Yet over the years, the number of slots for treatment has actually declined. So you end up with a prison population where only one out of 10 people who need treatment can actually get treatment.
The percentage of African-American males who commit violent offenses hasn’t changed much over the last 20 years, but the number who are arrested for drug crimes has tripled. Statistics will show that Black males are five times as likely to be arrested for drug offenses as their White counterparts. Yet statistics also show that the use of drugs by Black males and White males is 50-50. In 1992, there was a study that indicated that 65 percent of crack users were White males, yet 92 percent of crack convictions were Black males. There is something wrong with this picture.
From these kind of things, we can see that drugs have made a devastating affect on our community and our prison population, and unless we do something about it, it will continue to have an affect. I don’t know what the answers are, but I do know that some states are really trying to deal with it. In 1996, Arizona passed what is called Proposition 200. There are a lot of problems with Proposition 200 because it decriminalized marijuana and some other drugs. But one of the provisions of Proposition 200 was that on first and second offenses for possession of drugs, you have mandatory treatment and you are on probation instead of going to jail.
According to an article recently in the St. Petersburg Times, Arizona has found out that of the 2,262 offenders that they diverted to this program, 77 percent tested drug free at the end of their treatment program and the same percentage has paid at least one payment toward the treatment program which is also one of the requirements of this proposition. This treatment program has cost the state $2.5 million less than it would have cost the state to put these people in jail.
The state of Maryland has conducted a study that indicates that 50 percent of the cocaine and heroin consumed in the United States is consumed by people who are on probation and parole. So the state of Maryland has made it mandatory to have a lot of drug tests during probation and parole. Prior to the institution of this program, because of staff overload, it was a hit or miss thing when drug tests were administered. Now they have a set number of drug tests they have to do. They have found that the number of people testing positive for drugs has dropped from 40 percent to 7.5 percent. Because in addition to having the mandatory testing, if in fact you test positive a certain number of times, you know you are going to jail.
Here is Florida, we are trying to implement drug courts, because it really seems from all the data we have been able to collect that treatment is very very important and especially when it comes to our young people. We know that in order to reduce adult crime, we need to reduce juvenile crime, because a lot of adults that are in our criminal justice system committed juvenile crimes. So I think it is very important to talk to your legislators about funding programs that are going to help our young people--drug treatment programs.
There are certain factors that indicate, for the most part, when you might be at risk of juvenile misbehavior: children who are abused and neglected, children who are failing in school, children who associate with other delinquents, and children who have easy access to guns and drugs. So how do we combat that? We have to have caring and responsible adults who will take the time to deal with these children. We must give them academic support.
On the news last night, I heard that the federal government has allocated $1.2 billion for more teachers in grades 1-3. Their goal is to have no more than 18 students per teacher. I think that is a worthy goal, because if you have less students in the classroom, the teacher has more time to devote to each student. When you have 30 students in a classroom, all you can do is keep order.
Even here in Florida, there is an allocation this year for schools that have low test scores. So we are making progress, but we need to make sure that the legislature continues to make that kind of progress.
It seems to me that some of our young people exhibit a certain amount of hopelessness. There has always been the poor. I think we need to address how do we explain to young people that no matter what your circumstance is presently, it doesn’t have to be that way. If we can instill that in children, we can go a long way in solving some of the juvenile crime.
In addition to having adult role models at home and in school, the churches are always a good area of support. We need to make sure that our children continue to go to church. You are not born knowing right from wrong. We need to go back to the person sitting on the porch--telling that young man or woman, "You need to stop that!" We are afraid of our own children. We need to go back to those old-fashioned values and instill them in our children, and when they know right from wrong, they will do right.
In other words, ladies and gentlemen, all I’m really saying to you is that in order to help our youth, we need to go back to the old adage that, "It takes a village to raise a child." I know that there are some good programs out there that you have implemented. We need to continue down that path. Don’t become lackadaisical because there are some statistics that show a drop in crime. We still need to be ever vigilant to protect our children. Come up with workable innovative programs to save our youth.
Work Sites
http://www.preventblackcrime.com/pcbc.
cm4609
Isn't this something that has always been the case. Do we now get excited because it is being reported by media outlets on a daily basis.
The fact that there are corrupt cops is certainly not a revelation.
Whatever the case there is good and bad in all situations but I think the best you can do is keep it to a minimum. It's just life. (9510)
I am always keeping in mind that police officers are human being just like you and I. The fact that they put on a uniform and swear to uphold the constitution does not mean they are release of transgressions. Society should be able to understand that as a human being, police officers can make mistakes. We are reading about police corruption on a daily basis because news usually publishes bad news. Another thing is that cops do not get paid what they deserved. They risk their lives and they do not get paid good enough. I believe this causes them to fall into corruption. If they can not get money from their job they will get it from the street.
(6887)
I THINK THAT SOCIETY TENDS TO FORGET THAT BEFORE THESE INDIVIDUALS TOOK THE TEST AND SWORE 2 SERVE AND PROTECT THE COMMUNITY,THEY WERE AND STILL ARE AFTER THEY PUT ON THE UNIFORM, NORMAL CITIZENS LIKE US. THE GOVERNMENT GAVE THEM A BADGE,UNIFORM AND WEAPON AND NOW THEY AREN'T NORMAL CITIZENS THEY ARE " THE LAW". THERE IS CORRUPTION EVERYWHERE, WHY WOULDN'T THERE BE ANY IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM? AMERICA IS BUILT ON SCANDAL AND CRIME. IN MY OPINION SOME OF THESE POLICE OFFICERS ARE A JOKE, HOW ARE WE AS A PEOPLE GOING 2 EXPECT FOR " THE LAW" TO ENFORCE THE RULES AND REGULATIONS, AND THEY THE ONES BREAKING THEM EVERY CHANCE THEY GET. JUST CAN'T TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY CA7739
The police corruption is a major problem is society. The reason I say this is because they suppose to uphold the law and they break the law. How do you expect citizens to obey the law when they are breaking laws. How do you expect citizens to respect police officers if they breaking the law. Police corruption in the inner cities I believe have a lot to do with the crimes in the inner cities.
Ecc 3950
I think it is an unfortunate sign of the times. Society is now more political than ever before and with politics comes corruption. Many police officers are already corrupt before they become officers. Some often forget that they are not above the law. However, there are just as many honest officers as there are corrupt. They are just not recognized because being true is not newsworthy. *2232
NOBODY IS PERFECT!
ms0777
Im agree because this is happening every day in our society and thats why many of us are tired of getting this news every day. Corruption is every where and is happening every time. So we should stop that. 5794
Unfortunately people who believe they are above the law will all ways try to get away with something. This goes for criminals, politician, and unfortunately, police officers. It is just human nature. SPC 3027
Prof. I think that society should view corrupt cops as individuals and not a group because not all of them are bad. I truely would like to believe that majority of the police force have strong morals, and do aim to serve and protect but maybe they are the ones not being heard. SPC 6169
"I think that society should view corrupt cops as individuals and not a group because not all of them are bad".(x2)
"For every one wrong a police officer does there can be 10 rights that never make the paper or the news". (x2)
There are many people entering the Law enforcement field without any ideia what to expect.Therefore, CORRUPT is the person whom comes into the Law Enforcement field with malicious ideias to take advantage of people.The Law Enforcement field is not corrupted.
ES 1810
Scandals about the police will always make the front page because people will read it. The field is not corrupt it's just that the people who are making the news are not representing the police force in a positive way.
SG 4591
Police officers are just like every citizen in the country .Some are the same guys you hang with in the hood.The only difference is that they have a badge and an uniform.So i think there will always be corruption in the police force KG 2738
The society we live in is all corrupt.If Americans want to see corruption in law enforcement ,they should visit any poor country.Besides, i am not saying that police officers are not corrupt ,but in America they do fine .In fact , it is a microcosm of society.
LJ 6631
Corruption takes place in law enforcement as it does in politics and any other profession. We are human and we all struggle to make it. There are those know succeed through blood, sweat and tears and those that suceed by stepping on the backs of others. You also have people who tend to abuse authority. This sometimes stems from not being respect as a youth. DG7659
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