Week 2 Response

Each response should be 250 words with one reference.

Response 1-Smith

Q 1) The term "ethics" refers to the desirable and necessary ideals and morality that a person or a community should uphold. Ethics is concerned with an individual's purity and purpose. Ethics act as a tool for determining "what is right or wrong" in a given situation. When examining the relationship between ethics and leadership, we discover that ethics is all about the leader's personality and position.

Ethical theories of leadership focus on two distinct areas: (a) leaders' attitudes and behavior; and (b) leaders' attitude and character. It is important to remember that "ethics are a prerequisite for leadership." A leader motivates and influences subordinates/supporters to work together for a shared purpose, whether teamwork, corporate advancement, or any mission. The leader's ethical responsibility is to handle his subordinates with dignity since each has a distinct personality. The moral climate in an organization is created and established by a leader due to their dominant position within the organization and their control over corporate principles.

A successful and ethical leader possesses the following qualities/traits: Dion, M. (2012).

Dignity and consideration for others: He is considerate of others. A moral leader should not use his supporters as a means to an end. He should be thoughtful with their emotions, choices, and beliefs. Respecting supporters entails actively listening to them, being respectful toward them, and receptive to dissenting views. In a nutshell, it involves treating believers in ways that validate their ideas and convictions. He represents everyone. An ethical leader should prioritize the needs of his followers over his own. He should be compassionate. He must always behave in a way that benefits his followers. He is just and honest. A humane leader would treat all of his followers fairly. There should be no racism on a personal level. Wherever any adherents are treated differently from others, the basis for the unequal treatment should be just, transparent, and moral. He fosters community growth. An ethical leader considers both his own and his followers' purposes, making attempts to accomplish aims that benefit both. He is conscientious about neighborhood concerns. He is not blind to the followers' motives. He makes a more significant effort to further the community's priorities. He is a man of integrity and honesty. Being an ethical and successful leader needs candor. Honest leaders can still be trusted and counted upon. They are constantly gaining the admiration of their fans. A trustworthy leader addresses facts and situations honestly and thoroughly, regardless of how essential or harmful the facts are. He makes no false assertions. Dion, M. (2012).

It is important to remember that leadership is all about ideals, and you cannot be a leader until you are mindful of and concerned about your values. Leadership entails legal and ethical responsibilities. These values characterize leadership. Leaders should use the above characteristics to guide their actions. 

 Q. 2) Almost everybody is harmed by the actions of corrupt police officers, not the least of whom are fellow police officers. The acts of a small group will easily weaken the public's trust in law enforcement, leading people to believe that illegal police conduct is the standard rather than the exception. Heck, W. P. (1992)

As a result, it becomes more difficult for honorable cops to perform their duties and defend the public. Modern policing's success is contingent upon a strong level of trust between the police and the general population. Heck, W. P. (1992) Cooperation, on the other hand, is less forthcoming when there is a widespread sense of unethical conduct within the police department.

Response 2-Najjar

1. Are ethical theories relevant for ethical leadership?

When looking at the criminal justice system today in the United States there is a lot of flaws and one of the main flaws is officers making unethical decisions. Ethics should be used as a foundation for every single interaction between police officers and the general public or citizens of there community. Police officers are faced with difficult situations on the job every single day and it is important they make the right decisions when faced with these situations. The criminal justice system can not function properly without an ethical foundation. The definition of ethical leadership is a type of leadership that demonstrates appropriate conduct through personal and interpersonal relations. In order for a police officer to demonstrate ethical behavior, it must be displayed by the whole entire chain of command starting at the top. Ethical theories give a good foundation on which to base the most effective direction for a force, however it must be connected with the social atmosphere in order to be actually helpful. I do think ethical theories are relevant to ethical leadership but they should be understood and applied. 

2. How should a police officer respond if the officer witnesses the unethical behavior of another officer?

It is important to note that accountability is key when being a police officer. Officers do not only have the responsibility of holding each other accountable but also holding there coworkers accountable. In todays society, we have an issue of police officers making unethical decisions and some are not held accountable. Being a police officer is a high stress job and you experience difficult situations every single day. If an officer does not have a good ethical foundation they will not make ethical decisions. A police officer that sees another officer make an unethical decision should report the incident directly to there chain of command and continue to follow up to make sure something is being done about it. An example of an unethical decision an officer has made is the officer that pepper sprayed and violated a black man in his car at the gas station the other day. The man happened to be a lieutenant in the Army traveling from one duty station to another. When evaluating the situation, it is clear that what the officer did was unethical and wrong. The police officer had no respect for the man and did not follow the proper protocols and procedures. It is so so important that officers constantly make the right decisions and make sure other officers are as well. Our political climate today is very anti-police which I strongly dislike and hate, however situations such as these cause outrage and make people angry. Officers need to be held to a higher standard and constantly tested and evaluated to ensure they can meet the high demands of the job.