Dealing with and preventing corruption in a police department is a difficult task for many reasons. As a chief you may rely on seasoned officers to break in the rookie cops only to find that these seasoned officers are from the “old school” and are not of the highest moral character. Your recruitment policies, including background checks and academy training, may be outdated or pushed aside in an effort to expedite the hiring of new officers to supplement a deteriorating police force. Once unethical methods are allowed to run rampant through a police agency, it can be very difficult to remove. An effective strategy for reform of a corrupt agency should place emphasis on two points: honest officers within the organization should be motivated to continue to act ethically and morally while it should be made clear that corrupt officers will be sought out and punished.
Essential to a good police force is strong leadership. “People look up in organizations for signals to see if firm messages are really meant.” (Punch, 2000) If the leadership within the department is weak or corrupt in itself, there is no motivation for an officer to behave appropriately. However, if the agency is lead by a strong person who is not afraid to make the tough decisions for the betterment of the department then the officers can be motivated to do the same. Secondly, a strong internal affairs unit staffed with the department’s best officers of known ‘good character’ is imperative in creating a checks and balances. This shows “a determination to tackle the problem.” (Punch, 2000)
It is important also to make sure that there is discipline involved for the officers who are causing the corruption and promoting unethical behavior within the department. If these officers are discovered but no action is taken or they are simply given ‘warnings’ then there is truly no motivation for them to correct their behavior and it send a message to the other officers that they can get away with such behavior.
Most important in creating and maintaining a sound law enforcement division is training and mentoring. “As early as possible the subject of corruption, and of integrity, needs to be introduced early on in training with the accent on supportive insights and skills for dealing with the practical dilemmas encountered in police work.” (Punch, 2000)
Other helpful strategies would include fostering an environment where people can feel comfortable coming forward when they make genuine mistakes so that they can learn from their errors in a non-hostile environment. The department should be receptive to discussing sensitive issues with an emphasis on “ethics, pride, and professionalism.” (Punch, 2000).
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