EXAMINING STUDENT PERCEPTIONS:
ETHICS AND MISCONDUCT IN TODAY’S POLICE DEPARTMENT
Police ethics and decision making are issues of concern to both academic scholars
and police leaders. While previous studies have focused on perceptions of police officers,
little research has focused on the perceptions of young people about police ethical
decision-making. This study aims to capture such perceptions from a cohort of college
students majoring in criminal justice. Students from an undergraduate criminal justice
program (n =263) were surveyed to determine their attitudes toward various ethical
components of police work, including the prevalence of misconduct and the impact of a
college education on ethical decision-making. Moreover, the effect of successful
completion of a criminal justice ethics course upon their perceptions also was examined.
Additionally, the effect of misconduct and unethical practices on community ties and
rapport with citizens was explored. Policy implications are discussed.
Police officers have traditionally been public servants entrusted with protecting
citizens and enforcing justice. Their daily duties are often guided by personal decision-
making which requires sound judgment. Moreover, many of those decisions are made
outside the presence of supervisor oversight; and as such, a blend of discretionary power
and lack of consistent supervision produce opportunities for unethical decisions and the
potential onset of misconduct. Unethical behaviors by such professionals are frequently
noticed by the public and therein affect citizen attitudes toward the police. Such negative
attitudes typically emanate from an assortment of factors, including an individual’s
experience with police (Dowler & Sparks, 2008). Callanan and Rosenberger (2011)
argue that one consequence of such negative public perceptions is that it diminishes trust
and confidence in law enforcement. Therefore, it is imperative to examine police
misconduct and its effect on public perceptions, so that implementation of effective
future policies can be designed in an effort to rebuild the often tarnished bonds with the
community.
Dating back to 1829, the establishment of the police department began with the
vision of Sir Robert Peele, who came to be known as the father of community policing.
Peele was strongly committed to the notion that an officer’s duty was to prevent crime
and ensure safety in the community. Indeed, the work of Peele shaped the future
conceptualization of American policing. Lewis (2011) suggests that Peele’s primary goal
for police as an organization was multi-dimensional. While Peele called for the provision
of safety and security to the public, he also saw the need to recruit individuals who would
exhibit honesty, integrity, and professional conduct. Corruption among officers remained
a focal point of concern in Peele’s vision. While the original goal of policing was to staff
departments in such a way that would reduce internal corruption, the American political
system distorted this conceptualization of a professional police officer. Williams (2003)
argued it was necessary for departments to be staffed in such a way that would fit the
community in which they served. As such, the first police officers in the United States
were politically appointed without consideration of professional merit. Gaines and Miller
(2008) blamed these political appointments for police corruption in general, as well as
the establishment of the patronage system. It was this patronage system which became
the earliest form of police corruption through which low-paid officers reaped the spoils
of unethical conduct. Additionally, this system gave way to the increased use of
excessive force and other forms of misconduct. As a result, a lack of effective
administration and officer professionalism quickly led to the rise of corruption that would
later become the incurable disease for law enforcement.
The American police department possessed unethical structures early on, but it
intensified with unintended consequences. However, its future would soon begin to take
shape. Gaines and Miller (2008) suggest that the new era for policing as a profession
began when August Vollmer founded the first collegiate criminal justice academic
program. Vollmer was adamant that law enforcement could only professionalize through
promoting higher education among police officers. Moreover, this educational effort was
reinforced by the Wickersham Commission in 1929 – which was the first governmental
support for professional standards in policing. The commission also provided support for
modernizing administration and promoting a more ethical atmosphere in the daily duties
of police officers.
Research through the years has provided consistent support for the link between
police education and professionalism. For example, Roberg and Bonn (2004) posited that
police officers with a college education continues to be a necessary blend for the
development of a professional police organization. Likewise, research suggests that
higher education is now at the forefront of effective community policing efforts. As
community policing generally creates more interaction with the public, ethical officers
who present a professional code of conduct are an essential component to ensuring public
satisfaction with police. Carlan (1999) noted that a lack of higher education in policing
inhibits the degree to which the public views officers as deserving of respect and
perceived as possessing integrity. This is vital for framing policing as a profession rather
than a mere trade. Over the years, the criminal justice degree has proven its value in
improving police performance as well as promoting more positive public perceptions
(Paoline & Terrill, 2007; Telep, 2011; Truxillo, Bennett, & Collins, 1998). Moreover,
research has expanded this conclusion by correlating higher education with more
professional conduct in addition to fewer incidents of corrupt behavior. Therefore, it
should come as no surprise that the criminal justice degree holds a deepened value that
has conceptualized over recent decades.
While the rise of higher education in policing has stimulated a heightened sense
of professionalism, the prevailing concern of police misconduct continues to be driven
by public perception. Considering the variation of an individual’s daily access to news
media, much of these perceptions are shaped by information to which they are exposed
— such as news media sources and popular crime dramas which often depict the
consistent use of police force and unethical behavior. Callanan and Rosenberger (2011)
suggest that such media sources often present a negative image of police officers and
highlight negative connotations of the job. Although an individual’s amount and type of
media consumption affects the ways in which the public views the police, a citizen’s
personal experience with police is equally powerful in shaping their attitudes.
Although previous research has produced convincing results on the effect of
police contact in shaping public perception, much of these perceptions appear to differ
based on the gender, race, and age of citizens. While media consumption alone
contributes to a negative perception, literature suggests that increased prior contact also
tends to intensify negative perceptions. More specifically, those who experience more
contact with police are more likely to believe misconduct exists. Nevertheless, the role of
the police during citizen interaction does serve as a center of concern. Officers who
present themselves in a professional manner may be successful in reducing this negative
portrayal and promote change among public perceptions.
While an abundance of research has centered on the general perception of
police, little research has focused on the student perception of misconduct. More
specifically, the views of criminal justice college students are of particular importance.
These individuals are tomorrow’s police officers; and as a result, much of their
perceptions toward the police may carry over into their law enforcement careers.
Police misconduct is of particular concern to both police administrators and
academicians. As previous research indicates, police misconduct and unethical behavior
continue to be the primary contributors to negative perceptions. Therefore, it should not
be surprising that the academic community has consistently encouraged a reduction of
misconduct through increased higher education among officers. While academicians are
primarily limited to equipping future officers with educational tools, it has been
suggested that equal steps must be taken by administrators within the organization. A
small percentage of police departments require any type of college education for
employment. However, research suggests that departments who do require a college
degree strongly value such an education for its officers. Moreover, these administrators
feel that college education is imperative for promoting a professional organization
(Bruns, 2010).
Police misconduct perpetuates a negative view toward police officers and their
daily efforts; and this in turn affects the community’s satisfaction and trust in the police.
Although many researchers have examined predictors of negative public perceptions, few
have examined such perceptions of criminal justice undergraduate students. Previous
research has also failed in determining the influence of the criminal justice degree and its
course components in shaping perceptions toward misconduct. Moreover, little attention
has been placed on the effect of a completed criminal justice ethics course and its impact
on these perceptions. Therefore, the limitations of previous literature necessitate the need
for new research not only regarding the effect of criminal justice education but also the
degree to which a formal criminal justice ethics course affects those perceptions. Due to
these students being the future of law enforcement, their perceptions hold both
educational and professional value.
Police misconduct has been strongly linked to negative views toward the police
(Avdija, 2010; Hawk, Tourtelot, & Bradley-Engen, 2012; Schuck & Rosenbaum, 2005;
Williams & Nofziger, 2003); and as previously discussed, there are a variety of factors
that shape these negative perceptions. In addition, these factors influence an individual’s
likelihood of satisfaction and willingness to trust the police. Since criminal justice
students are tomorrow’s police officers, their perceptions are paramount in assessing the
future of the criminal justice field as it pertains to reducing misconduct. Moreover,
understanding these perceptions after the completion of a formal criminal justice
ethics course could hold great educational value. Understanding the criminal justice
student perception of ethical misconduct allows the academic community to assess the
effectiveness of offering such a course, and to gauge the general success of their
respective programs in shaping the future police officer.
