Table of Contents
Scenario One: Bad Behavior
The police service is important in ensuring law and order in the society. It is the responsibility of each and every police officer to be a role model by demonstrating conduct that can be emulated by other members of the service. The police comprise the disciplined service that has the key goal of safeguarding morality, ethics, and acceptable behavior (Harris & Worden, 2014). The junior police officers are expected to work based on the instructions of their supervisors. In the scenario under discussion, the two police officers engaged in inappropriate behavior in public. It is the duty of their supervisors to ensure that the officers are subjected to a counseling and disciplinary process to enable them to adhere to the code of conduct of the staff in the police service.
The Sergeant Officer Stevens showed the correct response to the situation. The scenario demonstrates inappropriate conduct of the police officer. They engaged in sexually explicit conversations in the work environment. Such matters are supposed to be handled in a confidential manner to avoid embracing or humiliating the two officers in public. It is good to address the matter on a scheduled date, preferably the next day before the officer embarks on their duties. Sergeant Officer Stevens also acted professionally by informing his supervisor about the unbecoming behavior of the officers. The police service is based on a strict adherence to the authority. Important work decisions are made by the senior officer, for example, the shift lieutenant. The senior officers have the obligation of analyzing the inappropriate behavior of the officers and then put in place an appropriate disciplinary process to rectify the mistakes committed by the police staff (Walker & Archbold, 2013).
The Sergeant Officer Stevens responded to the situation by informing his supervisor, the shift lieutenant, about the unbecoming behavior of the police officers on shift duty. The police staff are required by law to show good conduct at all times so as to win the confidence of the public. Officer Stevens is, therefore, justified to inform the head of the night shift about the poor work ethics of the two officers on duty. The sexual jokes can be viewed as sexual harassment because the officers were conversing next to a female dispatcher. The sexual comments are degrading when made in the presence of the female members of the society.
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The actions of Officer Stevens are critical in ensuring good order among the officers and also in the community. The officer observed a negative situation in the workplace and the sought advice from his supervisor on the best method of addressing the problem. The shift lieutenant has the responsibility of disciplining the officers working in his section. The sergeant hopes that the shift lieutenant will set up a meeting with the officers to inform them about their mistakes. The disciplinary meeting will also be helpful in guiding the officers on the maintenance of a good image of the police service in the community. Members of the public trust the police officers because they view them as responsible professionals. Making sexual jokes in the presence of women is a mistake that should be rebuked by the senior police officers. The woman dispatcher who heard the sexual conversations of the police officers is likely to feel harassed sexually. The incident will make her have a low opinion of police officers. She will not view the officers as important in maintaining law and safeguarding the security situation of all members of the public.
It was also important for the sergeant to have brief conversations with the two officers who portrayed bad behavior. For example, he could have informed them to desist from making sexually explicit jokes in public, especially in a place that has women. The sexual jokes are degrading and negatively affected the pride and the esteem levels of the women.
A disciplinary meeting is important because it will enable the lieutenant to remind the officers about their duty and responsibility to improve the image of the police service. The members of the public believe that the police officers are adequately trained to protect them against physical, social, and emotional harm, they should, therefore, desist from engaging in sexually inappropriate conversations while on duty (Walker & Archbold, 2013).
Scenario Two: Difficult Police Staff
The disciplinary charges brought by the sergeant are justified. This is because Officer Smith showed inappropriate conduct in the police service. It is important to respect the policy changes introduced by the superior police officers. This is because they are responsible for planning and implementing useful strategies that will ensure that the society is safe and orderly. Orders and directives are important in the police service (Harris & Worden, 2014). The sergeant has the duty and authority of allocating work duties to the junior officers. The police staff should follow the directives so as to achieve the goals of the police department. The charges were sufficient to warrant suspension from service for a brief duration. This discipline strategy is important because it enables the officer to reflect on the values and expectations of the police officers. It is the professional responsibility of every officer to adhere to the legal directives of the sergeants and the lieutenants.
The sergeant responded appropriately because Officer Smith engaged in an unprofessional and an unlawful conduct. A police officer who does not follow the lawful instructions of his senior shows career negligence. The senior officer develops important policing guidelines and policies that are aimed at improving the security level of the community. It is the responsibility of the police officers to implement the set policies and order. Open disregard for the new policies and orders is undesirable because it creates a poor work environment. However, the police officer is allowed to communicate the policy areas that require improvement to his immediate supervisor. The disciplinary action is effective in ensuring that the police officers perform their duties and responsibilities professionally. The disciplinary process should aim at understanding the issues affecting Officer Smith with the objective of addressing them. The disciplinary session is also important because it acts as a good avenue for enhancing communication between the police officer, the sergeant, and the lieutenant.
The action of the sergeant is important in the observance of good order in the police service. The police service requires respect, teamwork, and obedience to the authorities. The new policy changes are important in improving service delivery to members of the public. It is, therefore, important for all police officers to work together to ensure proper implementation of the new policies and orders. Teamwork is important because the actions of the officers, the sergeant, and the lieutenant, are all aimed at improving the security situation in their areas of jurisdiction. The police service is a hierarchical organization. The junior staff are supposed to adhere to the instructions communicated by the senior officers. This is because they have differentiated roles and responsibilities. The supervisory staff, for example, the sergeant and the lieutenant are responsible for formulating and communicating the policing policies. The junior officers are responsible for implementing the policies. Adherence to the reporting relationships is critical in ensuring workplace harmony. Officer Smith should, therefore, respect the authority, decisions, and instructions of the senior officers. The disciplinary process is important in the work environment because it creates a good environment for solving workplace conflicts. Officer Smith was informed about the insufficient respect for the police leadership and authority. The disciplinary session was aimed at convincing him to adhere to professionalism because the interest of all policing stakeholders is to ensure that there is adherence to law and order in the society (Harris & Worden, 2014).
There is need to improve the motivation level of Officer Smith so that he can work effectively. The sergeant and the lieutenant should provide proper coaching and mentorship to the officer. This is with the objective of developing his competencies to enable him to occupy senior positions in the future security sector. The senior and the junior police staff should embrace the collective decision-making process. The opinion of all staff should be sought when new policies and directives are being adopted in the police service. The culture of teamwork should also be embraced. All police officers should work together to improve the adherence to law and order in the community. Teamwork is important in improving communication between all categories of staff in the police service.
- Harris, C. J., & Worden, R. E. (2014). The effect of sanctions on police misconduct. Crime & delinquency, 60(8), 1258-1288.
- Walker, S. E., & Archbold, C. A. (2013). The new world of police accountability. Sage Publications.