A Christian’s Walk in Law Enforcement
Throughout life, being a Christian and living out one’s faith is difficult and
demanding. The world does not always respect the ones who are willing to take a stand and do
the right thing. The norm is to conform to the ways of the world. Doing what feels right and
looking out for one’s own self is what the world encourages. In law enforcement there are times
when a police officer will have to choose between the code of ethics and the police subculture
ways of handling ethical dilemmas or other given circumstances.
The advantage of being a Christian police officer is that even when one’s partner or backup is
not present, the Holy Spirit never leaves a believer in Christ. Ethical dilemmas can challenge an
individual in every way imaginable. If a Christian police officer goes to the Lord in prayer
through a given dilemma, he or she will be better off than the police officer who feels alone and
abandoned in their dilemma. Psalms 46:1 states that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-
present help in trouble (NIV).” This passage of scripture encourages believers to never forget
about God’s omnipotence and how foolish it would be for Christians to rely on themselves
through trials.
As stated, a Christian walk is tough and comes with hardships. Although the Lord will never
abandon His children, people are not always as faithful. The temptation to compromise one’s
faith in a police department will definitely be a struggle if a given police officer knows the Lord
and is the only Christian within the police department. However, Romans 8:31 is an
encouragement to believers in Christ. The passage challenges: “What, then, shall we say in
response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us (NIV)?” It is pertinent for
Christian police officers who are entering into the profession to be well grounded in their
worldview. The more confidence and certainty Christian police officers have in their worldview,
then the more prepared and equipped they will become during the times when their morals and
ethics are challenged.
Morals and Ethics
Police officers are consistently having their morals and ethics put to the test. Each day, police
officers are encountered by new issues, and it is ultimately up to the individual police officer to
handle it. Trooper Michael Murray states that “with the profession of a law enforcement officer,
each day brings a new experience and new calls consistently come through the dispatcher. It is
truly a profession that is unpredictable” (Trooper M. Murray, personal communication, March 7,
2011). Rookie police officers need to make an adjustment and instill a habit to be sharp and
prepared at all times. Not only do police officers have to perform professionally and handle each
circumstance appropriately, but the profession requires each scenario to be handled ethically and
morally. Therefore, there is a need to define both ethics and morals.
Although ethics and morals are two separate subject matters, they can be used interchangeably.
Jones and Carlson exclaim that one’s morals concentrate more on the actual behavior of an
individual while ethics studies those morals (2004, p. 18). Webster’s Pocket Dictionary, defines
ethics as “[t]he system of moral values; the principle of right or good conduct.” Since police
officers have the responsibility of enforcing the law, they should look at themselves and be
retrospective and always be sure they are abiding by the law. According to Hess and Wrobleski
(2006)
law enforcement officers must not only act legally, they must also act
ethically...Ethics looks at human conduct in the light of moral principles, that is, set forth by a
particular society or culture, laid down by a religious body or doctrine or established by a given
subculture. (p. 460) Ethics itself can be defined in many ways, but generally the same concepts
are applied.
Debbie Goodman and Ron Grimming use a three part definition in their book as they define
ethics as “principles of accepted rules of conduct for a particular individual or group as mandated
by law, policy, or procedure” (2007, p. 46). The uniqueness of the law enforcement occupation
causes difficulty in abiding completely by these “rules” and “procedures.” Mark Pogrebin writes
that no officer is truly capable of policing “by the
book,” and that on any given day a police officer could break one of the multiple rules that are all
included within the code of ethics for policing (2003, p. 142). The job of a police officer entails a
great deal of discretion and decision making that, at times, come with no warning or instruction.
The issue is that the morality in the world is corrupted. Banks believes that
“[e]thical considerations are central to decisions involving discretion, force, and due process that
require people to make enlightened moral judgments” (2004, p. 4). A higher degree of thinking,
judging, and decision-making is expected of law enforcement officers by their supervisors, the
police department, and the general public.
Balancing the Code of Ethics with the Police Subculture Any given department has its own
version of the “Code of Ethics.” Along with the department’s code is the police subculture that
an officer steps into. The “Code of Ethics” usually includes three main themes: “justice or
fairness...The importance of the law and the police as tools of the Constitution, [and lastly,]
police must at all times
uphold a standard of behavior consistent with their public position” (Hess & Wrobleski, 2006, p.
469). Departments will have their variations to these codes, but these are the core values for a
majority of offices (Hess & Wrobleski, p. 469). The standards of the code of ethics can be
difficult to uphold on a consistent basis as an officer will potentially lose the inspiring edge to be
the best that he or she can be. A police officer’s morals and ethics may be affected by the police
subculture within the department. Jones and Carlson define a subculture as “a set of norms,
communicated informally to all of its members...These norms are said to govern the
conduct of those members if they wish to preserve their membership in the group” (2004,p. 68).
A balance needs to be established between the code of ethics and the police subculture. Officers
entering the police profession want to be sure that they are obeying the code of ethics that they
have sworn to obey. However, there is a definite pressure and a natural tendency to desire to fit
into a given police agency. Entering into a police agency can be difficult because the
subculture’s norms are already set. For instance, a
rookie officer needs to adjust his or her mindset that could initially be “solving every case.” A
veteran officer who has much experience in the profession knows the reality that every case will
not be solved, and may become irritated with the inexperience of rookie police officers.
Therefore, rookie police officers have to adjust to the norms of the profession. Police officers
must grow accustom to the police department that they become a part of. Jones and Carlson
explain that subcultures are found throughout several occupations. Each subculture has a
perceived enemy and the criminal element of the law enforcement occupation is that enemy
(pp.66-68).
Being able to balance the strain that the police profession brings is vital. Hess and Wrobleski
claim that “[c]onventional wisdom holds that the defining characteristics of the police culture are
social isolation and group loyalty, resulting in a code of silence” (2006, p. 471). When a person
is part of a given team, whether it is affiliated with sports, academics, fine arts, etc., he or she can
appreciate the camaraderie and the solidarity that develops. The same concept can be applied to
law enforcement. When an occupation like law enforcement entails putting one’s life at risk for
another each day, a loyalty and togetherness will follow. Vernon Fox contends that the loyalty
amongst correctional officers and police officers “appears to be stronger and have more
meaning...than in most other groups” (1983, p. 162). The police subculture is a tight knit group
that forms over time, and it is up to the rookie police officer to enter into the subculture
effectively.
It is difficult for rookie police officers to enter into a given department and try to begin in the
right direction because they have to be cautious to not cross any boundaries. One police officer
was quoted in Reputable Conduct for explaining that “the subculture serves [a police officer]
well...people do look after each other. There is a recognition coming from one’s peers that is
more valued than that coming from administrators” (Jones & Carlson, 2004, p.76). Rookie police
officers want to remain ethical and on top of their duties, but at the same time they want to fit
into the subculture of the department.
The subculture of a police department can be a positive aspect, but the subculture can also affect
an individual negatively. Pogrebin explains that detectives have been known to change reports so
it is less paperwork and “rookies who opposed the practice and insisted on filing cases as they
saw fit were ridiculed and labeled as troublemakers”.
The “Oath of Honor” discusses the personal duty that police officers are to respect and uphold.
The oath does not mention anything about considering the code of silence or covering for fellow
officers when they make unethical decisions. The “Oath of Honor” is about the integrity of an
individual police officer who should feel privileged to wear the badge of a given police
department. The powers that come with a police badge should not
be abused. Tim Dees proposes in “First Loyalty” that “many times officers will put loyalty to
their colleagues above loyalty to the public or even to the department, often by abiding by the
code of silence” (2002, cited in Hess & Wrobleski, 2005, p. 471). Hess and Wrobleski comment
on the solidarity of police officers where there is “a togetherness that binds officers to each other
rather than to...ethical principles” (2006, p. 473). The police profession can be difficult if the
officers decide not to abide with the
police subculture within the police department. As revealed about the camaraderie of a given
department, police officers who decide to not be a whole part of the strong bond ina police
subculture could likely be shunned and treated poorly.
