Promoting Ethical & Effective Law Enforcement
Promoting ethical and effective leadership is a basic premise of the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership Master’s program at the University of San Diego. Integrity is the cornerstone of the criminal justice system and essential to the foundation of public safety in America. Acquiring skills that incorporate ethical decision making is a vital skill for leaders and validates the community’s faith in their public safety officials. A broad range of knowledge in these concepts is cultivated by the faculty at the University of San Diego; which includes both practical and theoretical exercises.
Throughout my career in law enforcement, I have seen many instances of failures in ethical conduct and effective leadership. Leaders must act ethically, responsibly, and effectively to lead a diverse law enforcement organization. My first paper 21st Century Policing addresses my department’s response and compliance with the recommendations of the 2015 President’s Task Force Report on 21st Century Policing. The Task Force promulgated six pillars, or areas of focus, to enhance community trust with law enforcement. My second paper Communication Case Study examines the public response to the controversial Michael Brown shooting incident by the police chief of Ferguson, Missouri. My third paper, Law Enforcement Drone Use, explores the issue of drone use in law enforcement and the ethical and legal deployment considerations.
In the 21st Century Policing report, I address the six pillars of Building Trust & Legitimacy, Policy & Oversight, Technology & Social Media, Community Policing & Crime Reduction, Training & Education, and Officer Safety & Wellness. The pillars contain subsets of recommendations that police agencies should aspire to. My paper highlights the Redondo Beach Police Department’s programs that meet those goals, both currently and in the future. The report is comprehensive in scope and is an excellent representation of the progressive nature of my agency.
The second paper, Communication Case Study, studies the Ferguson incident and communication shortfalls with the chief of police at the time. The crisis was the focus of intense national media scrutiny, which later became the impetus of the “Hands up, don’t shoot” movement. The chief’s delayed response to the incident and his ineffective communication is examined and determined to be the cause of further discord and lack of trust in the community. The balance of satisfying the public’s desire for information, with the need for preserving the integrity of the investigation is also addressed. The paper’s takeaway lesson is that a law enforcement leader should develop trust with the community before an event, which will facilitate a response to a high-profile incident.
My third paper Law Enforcement Drone Use is a hypothetical memo to the chief of police. The issue is whether a detective should deploy a drone to gather intelligence during an investigation. The associated case law of California v. Ciraolo [476 U.S. 207 (1986)], Dow Chemical v. United States [476 U.S. 227 (1986)], Grady v. North Carolina [575 U.S._ (2015)], Riley V. California [134 S. Ct. 2473 (2014)], and Katz v. United States [389 US 347 (1967)] is discussed. The possibility of an exigency exception is also considered in justifying the deployment. Bearing in mind the totality of the circumstances, and taking into consideration the inherent right to privacy; the ultimate recommendation to the chief is not to deploy the drone and to obtain a search warrant.
The above reports are indicative of ethical dilemmas facing police chiefs throughout the country presently. A manager should strive to comply with the recommendations of the 21st Century Policing report, be skilled at communicating with the media in times of crisis and consider the ethical and legal implications of new technology. I have presented solutions to efficiently and adequately address such problems.
Promoting ethical and effective leadership is a basic premise of the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership Master’s program at the University of San Diego. Integrity is the cornerstone of the criminal justice system and essential to the foundation of public safety in America. Acquiring skills that incorporate ethical decision making is a vital skill for leaders and validates the community’s faith in their public safety officials. A broad range of knowledge in these concepts is cultivated by the faculty at the University of San Diego; which includes both practical and theoretical exercises.
Throughout my career in law enforcement, I have seen many instances of failures in ethical conduct and effective leadership. Leaders must act ethically, responsibly, and effectively to lead a diverse law enforcement organization. My first paper 21st Century Policing addresses my department’s response and compliance with the recommendations of the 2015 President’s Task Force Report on 21st Century Policing. The Task Force promulgated six pillars, or areas of focus, to enhance community trust with law enforcement. My second paper Communication Case Study examines the public response to the controversial Michael Brown shooting incident by the police chief of Ferguson, Missouri. My third paper, Law Enforcement Drone Use, explores the issue of drone use in law enforcement and the ethical and legal deployment considerations.
In the 21st Century Policing report, I address the six pillars of Building Trust & Legitimacy, Policy & Oversight, Technology & Social Media, Community Policing & Crime Reduction, Training & Education, and Officer Safety & Wellness. The pillars contain subsets of recommendations that police agencies should aspire to. My paper highlights the Redondo Beach Police Department’s programs that meet those goals, both currently and in the future. The report is comprehensive in scope and is an excellent representation of the progressive nature of my agency.
The second paper, Communication Case Study, studies the Ferguson incident and communication shortfalls with the chief of police at the time. The crisis was the focus of intense national media scrutiny, which later became the impetus of the “Hands up, don’t shoot” movement. The chief’s delayed response to the incident and his ineffective communication is examined and determined to be the cause of further discord and lack of trust in the community. The balance of satisfying the public’s desire for information, with the need for preserving the integrity of the investigation is also addressed. The paper’s takeaway lesson is that a law enforcement leader should develop trust with the community before an event, which will facilitate a response to a high-profile incident.
My third paper Law Enforcement Drone Use is a hypothetical memo to the chief of police. The issue is whether a detective should deploy a drone to gather intelligence during an investigation. The associated case law of California v. Ciraolo [476 U.S. 207 (1986)], Dow Chemical v. United States [476 U.S. 227 (1986)], Grady v. North Carolina [575 U.S._ (2015)], Riley V. California [134 S. Ct. 2473 (2014)], and Katz v. United States [389 US 347 (1967)] is discussed. The possibility of an exigency exception is also considered in justifying the deployment. Bearing in mind the totality of the circumstances, and taking into consideration the inherent right to privacy; the ultimate recommendation to the chief is not to deploy the drone and to obtain a search warrant.
The above reports are indicative of ethical dilemmas facing police chiefs throughout the country presently. A manager should strive to comply with the recommendations of the 21st Century Policing report, be skilled at communicating with the media in times of crisis and consider the ethical and legal implications of new technology. I have presented solutions to efficiently and adequately address such problems.
| 21st_century_policing.pdf |
| communication_case_study.pdf |
| law_enforcement_drone_use.pdf |
