The Importance of Implementing Policies to Prevent Human Rights Abuses by The United States Police Officers

Code of Silence

The code of silence is an unwritten provision that exists with the United States police officers. It expects that the police officers should not report any form of misconduct, errors, and crimes perpetrated by fellow police officers including brutality. During an inquiry, any office questioned should not reveal anything that pertains to another cop’s wrongdoing. Instead, the officer facing the panel should claim ignorance over the matter. They always assume that they have no information regarding the wrongdoings committed by the fellow officers. Many consider the code to be a form corruption perpetrated mainly by the police officers. Officers who follow this kind of rule are likely to take part in discriminatory arrests, bias law enforcement, physical harassment, and brutality.

The code will protect them from prosecution considering that there would be no person to act as a witness during the inquiry. Additionally, it is possible that many of the cops who follow the code will engage in heinous acts at one point during their career. The kinds of wrongdoings they commit are illegal. In fact, an officer should face suspension or interdiction if found committing crimes that contravene the laws of the state. The phenomenon continues due to lack of persons of integrity in the Service considering that most of them are loyal to the code of silence phenomenon.

Overcoming the Code of Silence will never be an issue if the officers are in an atmosphere where the crooked cops will fear to commit transgressions due to honest cops in their midst. The Code of Silence Antidote seeks to bring up a new kind of officers who will report officers who commit atrocities. Reporting should be a tradition inculcated long time ago within the police community. Covering up would otherwise result in more and more wrongdoings.

The Code of Silence Antidote will go a long way to eliminating transgressions. It is indispensable to have diverse procedures that will stimulate integrity to reduce instances of police brutality and violation of human rights and federal laws protecting the citizens. Therefore, this paper will discuss various standards that if implemented, they will help in grinding down the bad culture adopted by the Justice Police Department. The standards aim at bringing sanity in the police force by eliminating the bad practices.

An Integrity Needs Assessment

Integrity is important in the national police service. In an environment where integrity exists, it would be difficult for the police officers to carry on with their wrongdoings. Additionally, it would almost be impossible for them to commit crimes considering that some of the officers would be persons of integrity. In a situation where we have dishonest and honest officers, it becomes difficult for the dishonest officers to commit a crime.

The reason behind it is that most fear the honest officers. Additionally, it indicates the lack of unity in the “Code of Silence” phenomenon adopted by the police service. Lack of integrity is a major barrier in the fight against law-breaking officers. Eliminating the “Code of Silence” in other words referred to “the blue code” will help in bring back sanity in integrity. Therefore, vetting the police officers and the heads of the department will be essential for restoring the integrity of the department.

A plan to concentrate on Integrity is developed, and Substantial Needs are addressed until Resolved. Currently, many departs are assuming the integrity needs. Integrity is an important element that can help in eliminating instances of wrongdoings among the police officers. From my observation, it lacks in all departments, and that is why the Code of Silence still exists. Additionally, lack of integrity is what pushes the police officers to continue committing crimes and going scot-free. It is a show of lack of respect for human rights, and the human beings the police are intended to protect.

The work of the police is to maintain law and order. Besides, it is to protect the lives of the citizens. In the light of this, it is clear that their lack of respect considering the crimes committed by the officers. Cleaning up the departments’ in charge will help to bring sanity. Additionally, the other main goal is to have all unresolved issues resolved with speed. It is in my interests that a plan that focuses on integrity is developed and unaddressed issues are resolved to prevent the problems from continuing. Such a move will aid in eroding the bad culture of Code of Silence.

The Chief or Sherriff Attends FTO Meetings to Demonstrate the Importance of the Program. The support received by FTOs is insignificant and thus the less importance it has had to the police services. Seeing it as an unnecessary undertaking is what renders FTO useless. However, with the by demonstrating support, it will not cause them to mold behaviors and traditions that result in frustrations. It will also be difficult for the cops to rationalize misconducts.

Abandoning FTOs makes them feel unappreciated and discontented. FTOs being one of the things that can bring sanity to the police force, it would be mandatory to offer support. Otherwise, they will feel neglected and thus, be ineffective in addressing integrity issues. All organs that contribute to bringing sense to the force need support. Supporting such programs and their efforts will play a significant role in ensuring that the Code of Silence diminishes. Additionally, protection of human rights will be the culture and not discriminate and perpetrate crimes.

Chief administrator conducts a confidential survey with officers having more than ten years of seniority to determine if they believe the department is hiring people the agency would never have hired ten or more years ago. If a majority of officers believe so, a recruitment oversight committee is established to develop and implement ways to enhance it.

A number of factors contribute to the rationalization of misconduct. It is necessary to determine whether the agency observed the right standards when hiring the police officers in the last ten years. Such surveys will bring to light the main reasons why some police officers are committing offenses. Additionally, it will bring to light the reasons behind the blue code.

The survey will also determine whether the officers are committing the offenses met the hiring standards when they joined the Service. It will give a direction on what the institution will consider in future hiring. Without such knowledge, it will almost be impossible to determine the cause of crimes perpetrated by the cops. Starting with their qualifications in relations to the standards will be of great help. Additionally, it is essential to focus on whether the institution had lowered the hiring standards at one point. With such knowledge, formulating new hiring standards will be easier. On top of that, it will help in reducing the number of crime perpetrators in the Service thus, bringing back integrity.

Academy instructors add the code of silence to their mandatory lesson plan and become well versed in code of silence research conducted by the Institute. Code of Silence should become compulsory in the curriculum. The instructors should teach the students the importance of reporting misconducts. The challenge comes when the students have no idea about the Code of Silence. When they get to service and find it being a norm, they will not report the issue.

However, if they clearly understand the phenomenon, they will practice integrity. Thus, they will become part of an impartial force that respects human rights. Upholding human dignity should not be an option for a requirement. Lack of professional training on the effects of the phenomenon will make little difference to the force. Thus, as new chief reforms on the curricula would be indispensable. Education is important to ensure that the new and incoming cops will uphold human dignity. Education will erode the culture seen over the years in the Police Justice Department. I will cultivate the culture of respect for human life among the new and existing police officers through education.

Every instructor addresses the ethical perspectives of the specific training topic he or she is teaching. Besides, there are certain aspects that education should emphasize. The academies should involve ethical training topics in the curricula. Ethics should be among the key areas that the curricula will address. It should emphasize on the ethical conducts and standards that govern the Service. Lack of emphasis creates an environment where the police officers do not respect human dignity.

The problem lies squarely with the Police Justice Department. The prevalence of crimes perpetrated by the police with the blue code should have been addressed. Unresolved issues should have been cleared. Lack of commitment will contribute to the rationalization of misconducts. At the end of the day, individuals who witnessed the police officers committing the crime will not report. Training on ethics will equip the service with knowledge of the codes of conduct. Reforming the education will play a significant role in ensuring that the Service observes integrity. Police Chiefs should focus on building a police service on integrity values.

All students sign their name to an Oath of Honor, which is framed and placed in their primary classroom. The oath states “Honor, integrity, and respect shall never be betrayed. I will always hold myself and others accountable for having the courage to do the right thing.” Oath of Honor will prevent a student from violating the rights of others in the future. Oath of Honor plays instrumental roles in promoting integrity among individuals. Lack of values in society will result in officers committing crimes and walking scot-free.

In the case of the Police Justice Department, no individual could hold a police officer accountable for crimes committed. Failing to hold accountable the police officers means, the person in charge have compromised integrality value. Integrity should be a necessity and part of individuals. Those who fail to appreciate the importance of integrity should never be given a chance to head the Service. Oath of Honor will prevent the students from violating the rule of law. The persons who violate the human rights and dignity shall be accountable for their actions.

All new officers sign their name to an Oath of Honor. The oath states “Honor, integrity, and respect shall never be betrayed. I will always hold myself and others accountable for having the courage to do the right thing.” My other strategy for cleaning up the Police Justice Department is by ensuring that the officers sign an Oath. Integrity should not be an option to any officers. Signing an oath has never been there before. As a way of ensuring accountability, officers should sign it. Otherwise, crimes will continue in the name of “Code of Silence.” With such, they will be able to conduct themselves in the best way possible. They will protect lives without discriminating against other citizens. Officers who do not honor the Oath will face interdiction or suspension.

The topics of integrity, honesty and loyalty to integrity are added to the Daily Observation Report form. Including aspects that do not exist in the DOR for will help. The Service should focus on among other things honesty, integrity, and loyalty. The three values should be the core values for every officer. Implementing this will promote humanity and thus, the police will be able to serve the citizens without discrimination. The same will go a long way in influencing the way they handle the citizens. Besides, it will end police brutality considering that every officer will face dismissal if found to have breached integrity values.

The organization must have written policies that protect whistleblowers. In addition, policies should mandate termination for anyone who does not report misconduct to a supervisor and IA, and for anyone who lies to IA. Additionally, supervisors must review the policies with subordinates.

Such policies do not exist in the Police Justice Department. Lack of policies and political will impedes the department from carrying out its mandate. Lack of will is a show that the Police Justice Department does not have the interests of the citizens at heart. My strategy will also focus on protecting the whistleblowers. Failing to report misconduct is an indication that the person is supporting the perpetrator. Thus, it will amount to disciplinary action and dismissal from the service. With such a policy, it will prevent dishonesty, especially during public inquiries and inquests. Besides, it will protect the whistleblowers from the crime perpetrators.

Conclusion

Policies are necessary to govern the conduct of the officers. Collaboration with other state agencies and human rights commissions will aid in the evaluation. The policies should be effective within six months after implementation. The reason for involving the human rights commissions is mainly that they receive many cases of police brutalities. Their statistics can help in evaluating the effectiveness of the policies. Hence, a low number of cases will indicate an immeasurable success in the revolution of the police and the Police Justice Department.