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Week 4 discussion forum 21
Criminal Justice Research and Writing (Liberty
University)
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Some of the training strategies I received from my field training officer were learning how to
apply discretion as an officer. During this process, I've also learned that I don't always
have to arrest someone who is breaking the law or issue someone a ticket. I also need to
develop my own strength so that when I need to use force, I don't overdo it and injure
someone. I've also learnt that I must ensure that I have considered all of the evidence that
has been provided to me or that I have gathered myself before making a final decision on
whether to issue the offender a ticket, a warning, or even an arrest. I believe that using
discretion will help to assure the public that police officers are loyal people who want
nothing more than to help protect and serve the community in the hopes of making it a
safer place for them, and that is what they are here for, not to harass them, as some
people say or think about police officers. If cops used these kind of approaches, it would
assist keep officers out of difficult situations like this one. If the police had actually
understood that just using a smartphone while driving does not constitute an arrest. The
trivial offense of using a smartphone while driving might have been postponed by issuing
a ticket or by issuing a verbal warning. The manner these police slammed the victim to
the ground may have ended in significant injury or possibly death for this woman. If
these cops had ended up causing these items to accumulate during this circumstance, all
of their hard work to become police would have been for nothing, since their careers as
officers would have terminated. Officers must always use caution, particularly in
circumstances like this one, to avoid making the incorrect decision in this scenario. Every
choice an officer makes demonstrates to the community that they care. Situations like this
one make it difficult for some individuals to recognize the good in police personnel.
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Police professionalism and ethics are crucial because everyone is looking, even if you don't
believe they are. Everywhere we walk, there are individuals with cellular devices or even
cameras, so while a cop is on duty or even off duty, they are being recorded or even
monitored by security cameras like the one in the video. As Christians, we must
constantly remember that we must obey (Fischer, 2015, slide 18). As God's children, we
must constantly follow the regulations that have been imposed on us as police officers
and as God's children. We must not go against what God wants us to do. God desires that
we love our neighbors and hold each other accountable (Fischer, 2015, slide 15). We, as
police officers, must always behave in the manner requested, regardless of when or
where. To properly carry out our tasks of law enforcement, order maintenance, service,
and intelligence collection, we as police officers must have the public's confidence and
cooperation (Bohm & Haley, P.237).
References
R. M. Bohm and K. N. Haley (2018). An overview of criminal justice (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill
Custom, Columbus, OH.
K. Fischer (2016, June 20). THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES Prezi
presentation: https://prezi.com/rdo7e91mruov/biblical-principles/
