Handling Police Misconduct in an Ethical Way
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UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-1999 Handling police misconduct in an ethical way Daniel Patrick Barry University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Barry, Daniel Patrick, "Handling police misconduct in an ethical way" (1999). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 1056. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/9vt2-pobu This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. 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Buffalo 1979 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts Degree Ethics and Policy Studies Department of Political Science College of Liberal Arts Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas December 1999 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number 1397962 Copyright 2000 by Barry, Daniel Patrick All rights reserved. UMI* UMI Microform 1397962 Copyright 2000 by Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Leaming Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Thesis Approval UNIV The Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas November 9______, 1999 The Thesis prepared by Daniel Patrick Barry Entitled "Handling Police Misconduct In An Ethical Way" is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts - Ethics and Policy Studies txaminatwn Cammtlee Cmtr Dean of the Graduate College Etamtnatwn Comrnittee Examimtion Committee Member Graduate Coliege Faculty Repraentatroe U Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Handling Police Conduct in an Ethical Way by Daniel Patrick Barry Dr. Craig Walton Professor of Ethics and Policy Studies University of Nevada. Las Vegas Police misconduct has always been a serious problem in America. Historically, reform efforts have failed due to an organizational culture that is resistant to change. Past reforms have been aimed at individual incidents, disregarding underlying organizational problems. Improving public perception has been the goal of past reforms, as opposed to improving organizational soundness. Reform efforts need to be directed at enhancing police organizational culture. These changes will improve workplace ethos, allowing virtuous conduct to flourish. Advancing this organizational culture will encourage police officers to act in a manner consistent with the high trust we vest in this vocation. Justice. Truthfulness and Good Loyalty have been defined by the great philosophers throughout history and should all be incorporated into the decision-making process of police leaders. Six proposals are offered to achieve the needed change in the organizational culture of police departments. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................iii TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................................................iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS................................................................................................ vii CHAPTER 1 POLICE MISCONDUCT - AN HISTORICAL OVERVIEW ...................1 European Influence on American Policing .................................................................. 4 Early American Policing ................................................................................................7 l92Ôs ............................................................................................................................. Il 1930s ..............................................................................................................................12 1940-1960 ................................................................................................................. 14 1970- 1980 ................................................................................................................... 17 1990-present.................................................................................................................17 Conclusion.....................................................................................................................22 Summary .......................................................................................................................24 CHAPTER 2 COMBATING THE CODE OF SILENCE................................................26 The Police C ulture........................................................................................................27 Why The Code of Silence Continues...........................................................................34 Present Response to the Code of Silence.....................................................................35 Truthlulness.................................................................................................................. 38 Loyalty vs. Truthfulness ............................................................................................. 43 Conclusion.....................................................................................................................49 Summary .......................................................................................................................52 CHAPTER 3 CITIZEN REVIEW BOARDS ...................................................................54 Recent Developments ..................................................................................................57 Absence of Quality ......................................................................................................60 Removing Managerial Accountability.........................................................................63 Addressing Systemic Problem s ...................................................................................66 Verification .................................................................................................................. 68 Social C hoice................................................................................................................ 70 Conclusion.....................................................................................................................76 Sum m ary.......................................................................................................................80 IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 4 STEPPING STONES FOR IMPROVEMENT..........................................82 First Step (Ethics Training)..........................................................................................88 A Case History...............................................................................................................89