I will be discussing whether or not the decisions made by the police were ethical or not and i will discuss what i would have done in the situation. I will discuss a number of topics related to ethics such as nsw police oath of office, statement of values and code of conduct. I will also be talking about human rights, coercive and excessive force, discretion, power, authority, reporting misconduct and loyalty. Numerous policies and legislation need to be followed to perform the role of a police officer and to maintain ethical standards and to make ethical decisions.

Ethical decisions are made every day by police and it is important to be ethical to be a police officer. The first decision by police that i will critique is senior constable cullen's decision to keep scott's ipod. The decision to keep the ipod is the wrong decision and is an unethical decision. An ethical decision is being able to distinguish if a decision is lawful, moral and the correct decision which will impact a number of stakeholders.

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Our writers can help get your essay back on track, take a look at our services to learn more about how we can help. Essay writing service essay marking service place an order nsw police oath of office requires states: police to keep the peace, to the best of your ability, faithfully according to law oath of office, clause 7, police regulation, 2008. The oath of office is a legally binding promise that all nsw police officers take.

The oath of office is legislation and has to be followed in order for police to function ethically and responsibly. Senior constable cullen did not follow the oath of office and failed in his duties to perform to the best of his ability. This makes the decision that senior constable cullen made one that is unethical, unjustified and against legislation. It provides employees with clear guidelines on the conduct required to support the values of the nsw police force pp.49, policing issues and practice journal, may 2007, the nsw police force revised statement of values and ethics. The nsw police statement of values states: excellence having the highest professional standards and integrity.

Senior constable cullen did not follow this value when he made the decision to take scott's ipod and not give it back. Having excellence is to have high standards and to act morally and ethically, have good character and to be honest which senior constable cullen did not show in his decision of stealing the ipod. Senior constable cullen also breached the nsw police force code of conduct and ethics policy.

This policy states that nsw police employees act professionally, honesty and to be ethical the code of conduct and ethics policy guides nsw police to act ethically and have good conduct. The nsw police force code of conduct and ethics states: an employee of the nsw police force must not make improper use of their position or nsw police force information or resources. This policy states that a nsw police employee cannot use their position as leverage to perform an unlawful act such as stealing. Senior constable cullen had no justification under any law, legislation or policy to steal scott's ipod, therefore his decision is an unethical, unlawful decision without any justification. In senior constable cullen's decision, he used inappropriate discretion when he stole scott's ipod. Discretion is acting according to your own judgment wherever your authority leaves you free to do so p123 study guide, 2010, p.23.

Senior constable cullen has discretion whether to arrest and charge scott and keep his ipod. Although he used his discretion to steal the ipod, it was an unlawful use of his discretion because it is against the law to steal. Discretion is supposed to be applied in good faith and to uphold the spirit of the law. The way senior constable cullen used his discretion was unethical, was not done in good faith and was not justified. Senior constable cullen has breached an important human right when he made the decision to keep scott's ipod unlawfully. Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.