The Law Enforcement Profession :: essays research papers

The rightfulness Enforcement ProfessionAbstract     In order to understand comptemporary virtue enforcemment, we shouldrecognize the conditions that impact our handicraft. It is agreed upon by manyscholars that major changes in law enforcement occur every five years. Policingis sometimes characterize"... like a sandbar in a river, subject to beingchanged continuously by the currents in which it is immersed..." (Swanson,Territo and Taylor, p. 2). However, in recent years some major changes haveoccurred in a shorter time period.Innovations in law enforcement     During the past two decades, I have observed major changes in theviewpoint of society towards police officers as the symbol of trust and dignity,the technological advances of communication and information systems in lawenforcement, and the revision of selection and hiring practices for policeofficers. Organizational change occurs both as a result of internal andexternal agent s (Swanson, Territo and Taylor, p. 664). These changes havemanifested both positive and prejudicial reverberations in the way we perform ourjob.     Police officials have contemplated for years over the key to maintaininga positive image for their organization. Unfortunately, several incidents inthe past years have altered societys perception of police in some communities.Police in America are no longer strangers to innovation born of scandal. Lawenforcement agencies nationwide have repeatedly been shaken by controversy andforced to make undesirable concessions. Has law enforcement failed to maintainthe high standards required by the profession? The cost of public trust is high.It increases each time faith must be regain.     Historically, law enforcement agencies throughout the nation haveexperienced periods of low potency in communities preceding episodes deemedto be a breach of trust. Early pioneers in law enforcement history such asAugust Vollmer (1902 - 1932). Berkeley Police Department and J. Edgar vacuum(1924) the Federal Bureau of Investigation made numerous advancements towardsimproving the professionalism of law enforcement (Anderson and Newman, p. 119 -120). Other attempts were made in 1956 by the International Association ofChiefs of Police select "The Law Enforcement Code Of Ethics" (Wilson andMcClaren, p.8)     Examples of several historical events locally have attributed tosocietys decline in respect for police. For example, nine members of a LosAngeles County Sheriffs Department special narcotics team were charged withmisappropriating tens of thousands of dollars confiscated in drug raids (L. A.Times, p. 4, Sept. 9, 1989). Another local incident involved 80 Los Angelespolice officers stormed and wrecked an apartment and allegedly beat severalresidents on "Dalton Street." The city was forced to settled in a civil lawsuit by the resident with a settlement of $3 million dollars of taxpayers bullion