Abstract This paper gives a factual account of the development of policecorruption to the peak it is at today. It speaks of the social contract by which police are to abide, remaining small and dedicated to preserving the safety and law of the land. However, explains the author, as time went on the police force came to be increasingly relied on as an instrument of political and racial power. Recently, police brutality is especially directed to certain American racial and political minorities. This paper concludes that riots and outbursts against police brutality from the minorities will continue until the government puts an end to policecorruption.
From the Paper "America's founding fathers were militant revolutionaries. This nation was built upon social contract theory, the idea that the government exists by the will of the people and that they are obligated to obey only so long as that government operates in a moral fashion and in the best interests of its subjects. For many years the police forces of this nation followed the spirit of a social contract, remaining small and dedicated to preserving the safety and law of the land. However, as time went on the police force came to be increasingly relied on as an instrument of political and racial power. World War I saw the beginning of the police as an anti-protest and anti-civil rights weapon. Their roles in putting down political and racial protest came to maturity during the 1960s, as they turned their fire against war protests and race riots. In recent years, the blatant racist and political nature of police power has hidden behind a shield of anti-terrorist and anti-drug action. The ACLU writes that, ?From the outset, the war on drugs has in fact been a war on people and their constitutional rights, with African Americans, Latinos and other minorities bearing the brunt of the damage.? Racial profiling and police brutality daily threaten the lives of American racial and political minorities, while the government turns a blind eye. ?The see-no-evil policy of the feds toward police violence comes at a time when the number of police abuse complaints has soared nationally. The Department gets about 15, 000 complaints yearly.? "
Abstract The paper examines policecorruption, the abuse of police authority for personal gain or advantage. The paper describes policecorruption as criminal activities, such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and police violence, accepting bribes and overlooking crimes when they involve family or friends. The paper further examines how policecorruption may also involve depriving citizens of their legal rights. These actions include discriminating against minorities, unlawful searches, sexual assault, and deliberate fabrication of evidence. The paper discusses case studies of investigations into policecorruption, and concludes that the fight against corruption is likely to be a long one as policecorruption is prevalent in today's society.
From the Paper "Police corruption is often seen as a victimless crime because the victim is a neighborhood rather than an individual. In many cases, most of the attention goes to the officers who are guilty of corruption, rather than the psychological and social effects police corruption has on the victims and their communities."
Abstract The paper looks at how police officers can gradually become engaged in criminal corruption during their careers. The paper focuses on the notorious case of Michael Corbitt who was actually already a criminal when he managed to become a police officer.
Outline:
Introduction
PoliceCorruption From Criminality to Policing
From the Paper "The case of Michael Corbitt exemplified the extent to which Chicago organized crime ("the outfit") dominated both local politics and policing throughout Chicago and much of the rest of Illinois until as recently as a few decades ago. In many respects, Michael Corbitt's situation differed from the usual course of the devolution of honest police officers into criminal corruption, simply because Corbitt's connection to crime preceded his entrance into the criminal justice system.
"This is actually the reverse of the more common or "typical" pattern disclosed in numerous studies of corrupt police officers in general. This was mainly a function of the larger corruption of the city of Chicago and of many surrounding areas including Willow Springs, Illinois, where Corbitt would eventually become Chief of Police."
Abstract In this article, the writer reviews the movie 'Serpico' that shows policecorruption or cops above the law. The writer addresses many scenes in the movie that depict this type of behavior from a pro-police perspective. The writer explains that 'Serpico' is based on a true story of a New York policeman newly graduated from the police academy who discovers dishonesty throughout the police department. The writer discusses that this movie tells about Frank Serpico dealing with crooked police officers in the early 1970s in New York City. The writer believes that this movie is very accurate of what was going on during that time when many police officers lost their jobs and were even prosecuted.
From the Paper "Serpico gets transferred to another precinct in Manhattan where he finds out that they are also taking money. Serpico and his new partner tell the Chief what is going on but the Chief wants to protect Commissioner Delaney. Serpico realizes that no one is going to do anything about corrupt police departments and decides to go to The New York Times. The mayor appoints an investigation commission of a five man committee headed by Whitman Knapp to review the city procedures for investigating police corruption.
"Serpico gets transferred to the narcotics division. He is on a stakeout with other officers and gets shot in the face. None of the other officers come to his aid but he does survive. Serpico appears at the Knapp commission and testifies about the police corruption."
Abstract This paper examines drug related policecorruption and efforts to prevent it. It focuses on the benefits of community policing in preventing and detecting drug related policecorruption.
Abstract This paper examines and analyzes the history and effects of policecorruption in American society. Past and present examples of policecorruption are included from many large American cities, and current trends are discussed.
Abstract In this article, the writer examines how stress affects policemen. Further, the writer discusses how such stress can lead to corruption among police members. The writer also discusses that the police, narcotic officers, sheriffs, and other types of law enforcement often struggle in making decisions that determine life and death.
From the Paper "In the movie Rush, the female undercover narcotics agent sits curled up in a corner so strung out on heroin, she can't tell what's real or hallucination". What causes a good narcotic agent or policeman to become a corrupt one? What relationship does stress have in regards to police corruption? These questions are important in determining what types of help or services need to be offered to policemen so that they do not become corrupt ones."
Abstract This paper discusses the effects that gratuities can have on policecorruption and asserts that paying nominal gratuities without ulterior motive can gradually progress into areas that constitute bona fide conflicts of interest and corruption for police officers. The paper describes the 'bad' police officer and the progression of the self-controlled police officer to impermissible and unethical conduct. The paper looks at theories of public corruption and presents a personal view on ground-up reforms in connection with policecorruption.
Outline:
Gratuities and the Slippery Slope of PoliceCorruption Characteristics of Character Type in Policing Theories of Public Corruption Strategy for Ground-Up Reforms in Connection with PoliceCorruption
From the Paper "In many respects, it is perfectly natural and benign for police officers to accept gratuities of nominal value that are offered without ulterior motive or the expectation of preferential treatment. However, in other respects, it is also problematic. At least potentially, in the sense that nominal gratuities without ulterior motive can gradually progress into areas that constitute bona fide conflicts of interest and corruption (Geeting 2005).
"Typical examples would include free coffee for police officers on duty or reduced price meals to police officers in uniform at a local diner. The actual value of the gratuities is too small to pose the dilemma of any expected quid pro quo. However, it is easy for such a situation to evolve into reciprocation in the form of an extra pass of the vicinity of the diner at closing time for the safety of the diner owner who is known by the patrolling officer to leave the premises with large sums of money."
Abstract This paper examines the issues concerning policecorruption, usually viewed as the misuse of authority by a police officer acting officially to fulfill personal needs or wants. It looks at how the police these days are committing illegal acts that range from drugs to stealing money and how the majority of the policecorruption is external corruption, which involves the public. It shows how the police agency should be the main source of controlling its own corruption problem and how it also requires some support and assistance from the local community.
From the Paper "Some people in smaller cities think that corruption is gradually decreasing, but they do not see where the majority of the corruption is happening: big cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., etc. For instance, New York has had more than half a dozen major scandals concerning its police department over the past few decades. It was the Knapp Commission in 1972 that first brought attention to the NYPD when they released the results of over 2 years of investigations of alleged corruption. The findings were that bribery, especially among narcotics officers, was extremely high. As a result many officers were prosecuted and many more lost their jobs."
Abstract This paper explains that the objective of this study is to establish that there is an increased risk of undercover officers crossing the line of legality, whether in the line of duty or otherwise. The author points out that, because of the lack of available empirical data from police sources, this study uses a meta-examination of published data from (1) M. Girodo's study of 271 undercover agents for indications of drug corruption, (2) FBI statistics on corruption cases, (3) Mieczkowski and Lersch's reported results of drug testing of police officers and recruits and (4) Girodo's study of self reported and observer reported dissociated states. The paper reports that the data indicated that undercover police officers are more likely to commit crimes than other police officers because there is a direct relation between drugs and corruption amongst police officers, undercover investigations are highly stressful environments and it is becoming increasingly more likely for an undercover agent to commit a crime in the line of duty. Many tables.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Background of the Study
Problem Statement
Purpose and Objective of Study
Rationale
Definition of Terms
Limitations of the Study
Theoretical Framework
Research Hypothesis
Summary of Remaining Chapters
Review of the Literature
Background of Undercover Police Operations
Psychological Studies of Undercover Work
Nature and Extent of PoliceCorruption.
Methodology
Description of the Subjects
Description of the Research Instruments
Results
Discussions, Conclusions, and Recommendations
Discussion
Recommendations
From the Paper "The traditional training techniques were strict and included such tactics as sleep deprivation, surprise exercises, social manipulations, eavesdropping, and so on to keep the trainee off-balance and ready for any circumstances, as well as to prepare them for the pressures of maintaining their false identities. These techniques simulate conditions that can cause the trainee to feel "less inhibited, less capable of self-regulation, and foster compliance and cult-type deindividuation." While these methods can achieve the desired result of helping the trainee slip into their new identity, they can also contribute to later health and misconduct problems in the field."
Abstract This paper addresses a series of five questions proposed that range from police policies on domestic violence to policecorruption. The first question concerns domestic violence and the police of mandatory arrest of the accused abuser. A weighing of the benefits and detriments of such a policy are explored. The second question concerns the role of law enforcement in the war on terror. The modern approaches of policing and how they conform to terror prevention are explored. The third question explores the theories of policecorruption. Actions are proposed as to how to run a police department devoid of corruption. The forth question concerns the Miami-Dade Employee Identification System and its aim of preventing police abuse. The successes and failures of the system are discussed. The final question concerns the introduction of technology into the modern police department. The pros and cons of such technologies are also explored.
From the Paper "The policy of community based policing, where the police department reaches out to the local community through increased personal relationships with its members has been a gaining popularity over the past 20 years. (Henderson, Miller, Ortiz, Sugie p.1) Community policing has been proven effective to increase public safety through the strengthened ties between the community and the police department. It is intuitive that the more familiar an officer is with the community that they police, the more likely it is that the community will cooperate with the officer in police matters, and the less likely a misunderstanding will occur. "
Abstract This paper examines the history of policecorruption with mention of scandals such as Tammany Hall and looks at how today, in comparison, the police are a model of integrity and civil service commitment with police misconduct and corruption by far the exception rather than the rule. The paper also looks at the laws concerning police conduct and excessive force and examines and Miranda rights.
Outline:
Introduction
Excessive Force
Unlawful Tactics and Police Procedures
Miranda
Conclusion
From the Paper "Contemporary police misconduct in the context of the UOF continuum and excessive force arises most often in relation to reactionary escalation of force rather than in connection with the intentional application of force as a means of so-called "street justice" administered by police officers in the manner that was common in previous eras of policing (Black 1971). Like widespread corruption of the speakeasy era of American law enforcement, street justice is no longer employed in American law enforcement, and specific exceptions that come to light are dealt with swiftly and appropriately, often resulting in official sanctions, dismissal, and criminal charges brought against officers who purposely misuse their authority in this manner."
Abstract The paper analyzes how all of the major organized crime syndicates have played a role in illegal gambling throughout the years, and how organized crime has always had some type of influence on police and government officials. The paper discusses how, from cities as far apart as Chicago, IL, Los Angeles, CA, and Honolulu, HI, and spanning time periods prior to the turn of the 19th century until modern times, investigations of illegal gambling rings have yielded shameful and surprising information about police involvement in organized crime. The paper further examines how society has a decline in confidence in police morality, especially since officials in the police departments have distanced themselves from scandals by claiming to have been unaware of any brewing issues. The paper concludes that the result of such action is that citizens believe that the government is unable or unwilling to properly supervise the very people placed in charge of maintaining law and order.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Honolulu, HI
Los Angeles, CA
Chicago, IL
Types of Corruption Gambling's Correlation with PoliceCorruption Conclusion
From the Paper "The Honolulu gambling scandal came to light because of a federal lawsuit in which Detective Kenneth Kamakana made allegations that some of his fellow officers were involved in organized crime. Detective Kamakana was eventually removed from the CIU, which he claimed was a result of him providing secret tapes and documents to the FBI. Those tapes included a recording of CIU detectives, Alexander Ahlo and Milton Olmos, interviewing an indicted defendant, Marirose Tangi, while drinking at a bar. Ahlo conducted the interview in violation of advice given to the Honolulu Police Department by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney, both of which believed that interrogating a suspect without counsel could jeopardize the investigation. Ahlo claimed that the interview was regarding unrelated criminal matters, but the tape indicted that Ahlo and Tangi discussed the case."
Abstract This paper explores the several theories of policecorruption. It explains that the integrity of the criminal justice system is built on a foundation of faith and that public trust is paramount, and corruption by one or two "bad apples" is nearly as destructive to the system as pervasive corruption. The paper discusses the measures that can be taken to restore and preserve the public trust in the police department, and the system at large. The paper concludes that the reliance upon the rule of law to keep society functioning requires the guardians of the system to be of the highest integrity and corruption among those sworn to protect the public diminish the system.
From the Paper "Thus, the "rotten-apple" theory is comforting, there are only a few corrupt individuals spoiling it for all of those that are good and honest. Fortunately, this comfortable construct is reality, public opinion polls support the notion that police officers are persons of integrity, and can be depended upon to protect the citizenry from the criminal element. When the public is made aware of corruption in the police department through the media, the stories often revolve around one or two officers, or a small group of officers. Rarely do the stories relate to a systemic problem of widespread corruption. However, with each of these incidents a need for reform is put forward with a degree of urgency more compatible with a department run like an organized crime syndicate rather than measures need to be taken to prevent a few more apples from rotting."
Tags: law, enforcement, officer, organized, crime, syndicate, criminal, justice, system
Abstract This paper discusses the global issue of police misconduct. It examines the scope of police misconduct that include policecorruption. It presents several examples of police misconduct, as well as examples of corruption that have made national news. It discusses the issues that are present with regard to race, power, and supervisory controls. The paper further draws conclusions based upon the research.
From the Paper "The issue of police misconduct has become an active community concern due to public displays of police brutality. Morris and Vila (1999) discusses that the video of the Rodney King beating in Los Angeles made many people realize that there needed to be a new definition of the police role in society (p.255). The public, in general, has been strongly opposed to internal police department investigations that are supposed to correct employee performance because the public often is not informed of any actions that are taken in these cases. For several years the public has called for an external review board to address complaints about police misconduct, and this formation of review boards is beginning to take place in several cities across the country."
