Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

Volume 38 | Issue 2 Article 15

1947

Ethics in Police ServiceDon L. Kooken

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Recommended CitationDon L. Kooken, Ethics in Police Service, 38 J. Crim. L. & Criminology 172 (1947-1948)

ETHICS IN POLICE SERVICE

Don L. Kooken

In this issue we present the second and concluding portion of Captain Kooken 'sthought provoking article on a code of police ethics. If the police service is tobecome a profession as its present day leaders hope, many reforms are needed.Captain Don L. Kooken, who is Acting Director of the Institute of Criminal LawAdministration of Indiana University and an Associate Editor of this Journal, hasclearly pointed out the way in this fundamental discussion of the police service.-EDITOR.

(Continued from the May-June Issue)

ABUSES OF AUTHORITY

Early in the development of police service lawmakers recog-nized the necessity of granting power to policemen beyond theirinherent rights as citizens in order that they would be able toact effectively in discharging their duties. Accordingly, powerand authority commensurate with their responsibilities werevested in them by law. The lawmakers recognized the fact thatunless policemen were exempted from obedience to certain lawsand regulations they would be seriously encumbered in theeffective discharge of their duties. The exemptions were spe-cifically provided for, however, for the reason that the law-makers were aware of the danger of abuses of power involvedin granting blanket privileges or powers to public offices. Thepublic has not been so discriminating in its consideration of thesituation and has gone well beyond the law in excusing police-men from full obedience to regulatory measures.

The liberal interpretation that the public has placed upon theright of police officers to disobey the law has been motivated inpart by public confidence in law enforcement and in the sinceredesire of the public to assist the police in every way in theperformance of their duties. Most citizens are not interestedin the technicalities of law enforcement and are ignorant of thelegal limitations that are placed upon the authority of police-men. Most citizens are inclined to look upon policemen not somuch as representatives of government and agents of law en-forcement but more in the light of policemen being the law inthemselves. It is a regrettable fact that because citizens gener-ally are unaware of the limitations placed by law upon police-men, that many policemen assume rights that they do not legallypossess.

POLICE ETHICS

Policemen are in a position of constant temptation to usetheir real or pseudo authority to their own personal advantage.To succumb to the temptation is a most reprehensible breach ofpublic trust. There are innumerable instances whereby reasonof the subtlety of the temptation, policemen, innocent of ulteriormotive, find themselves in most embarrassing or compromising

positions. The American people are an appreciative and gener-ous people. They like to demonstrate their appreciation in asubstantial and public fashion. It obviously follows that whenpolicemen in the performance of their duties, render valuableservices to citizens, it is only natural that the citizens willattempt to reward the policemen in some manner. We do notdeny that commendation, recognition, and reward have definitevalue as morale incentives, but, if we reflect upon the fact thatpolicemen are duty bound to render services daily that representdistinct value to specific citizens, then it is not difficult to per-ceive the implications. If policemen are permitted to acceptthese material tokens of appreciation from the public in recog-nition of duties well performed over a period of time, they willcome to expect extra remuneration for the normal performanceof duty.

Most policemen recognize no wrong in accepting free admis-sions to public entertainment, discounts on their purchases,special favors and considerations from persons of influence, ortips and gratuities for services performed in the line of theirregular duty. They choose to look upon these incidents asbeing strictly personal matters between themselves and thedonors and are unwilling to recognize the fact that moral obli-gations are involved. They are naive indeed to believe thattheir authority was not an influencing factor in the matter.,

No matter how much effort is expended to minimize the de-rogatory effect of the acceptance of gratuities and favors bylaw enforcement officers the practice has become so prevalentthat the public generally concede that policemen are the world'sgreatest "moochers". Aside from the question of the effectof the practice upon the officer's effectiveness in enforcing thelaw, it is a certainty that a reputation for "mooching" doesnot elevate the standards of the profession in the public's mind.

Many police administrators see no harm in permitting police-men to accept gratuities and favors, but in localities where thispractice has been condoned over long periods of time policemenhave not been content with accepting gratuities and favors butactively solicit them. It is but a short step then to the use oftheir authority to expedite compliance with their solicitations,

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In many jurisdictions "mooching"' has become a lucrative"racket", an activity that is equally as costly to the public andas vicious as the well organized racketeering activities of thecriminal bands. In the one instance the citizen is forced intocompliance with the racketeer's demand by reason of the threatof physical violence at the hands of the criminal; in the otherinstance, if he fails to comply, he is faced with the propositionof prosecution on trumped up charges of violation of obscurelaws or ordinances.

A mid-western newspaper recently reported that the Yulespirit of policemen had reached a point where taverns in thatcity were almost forced to close. Squads of policemen, thetavern owners said, were ranging in droves demanding "What'sSanta Claus giving away this year." License owners empha-sized that some largesse to policemen on the beat is to beexpected at Yuletide, "But what are you going to do whenthey come from all over-guys we never saw before" said one.One tavern reported 72 bottles had been given away by 4 P. M.,and other estimates ran from 39 to 200. In some instances thetavern owners reported that the police officers bothered thecustomers when their demands were refused.4

A most reprehensible practice that is quite prevalent in thepolice service and one that is usually condoned by the policeadministrator is found in the improper use of informers or"stool pigeons" in securing evidence of criminal violations.In most instances the motives of informers are purely mer-cenary, and their veracity generally is so unreliable that theirinformation is of questionable value. The fact that an informerstands to gain financially by bringing in the kind of infor~mationthat he believes the policemen wants, coupled with the factthat his sense of moral value is usually questionable, tends tonullify their information. The most objectionable practice,though, in the use of informers is that of condoning or actuallyprotecting criminal activities of the informer for indefiniteperiods of time in return for his promise to turn in informationrelating to the activities of other criminals. Usually the viola-tions that are turned in under such agreements are but minorones, and are far short of measuring up to the opportunities forcriminal gain afforded the informer by the immunity frompolice molestation guaranteed by the police themselves. Notonly does the protected informer stand to gain from his un-molested illegal activities, but very often by gaining the confi-dence of the police officers with whom he works the informer is

4 Detroit Free Press, December, 1946.

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in an advantageous position to sell real information of theactivities of the police to other criminal gangs.

Another prominent factor in destroying public confidence inpolice service and in creating disrespect for law enforcementarises from special privileges granted to favored individuals bythose who are charged with impartial administration of the law.This is a dereliction of duty and responsibility that is not con-fined to police service alone, but is found in all levels of authori-tative government from the highest to the lowest. The police, ofcourse, cannot be held accountable for the mal-functioning inthe upper levels of government, but they most certainly areresponsible for the obnoxious practices that occur within theirown sphere of authority and control. The practice by law en-forcement officers of extending special privileges to violate thelaw and immunities from arrest to favored persons because offriendliness, favors to be expected, or by reason of other in-volved obligations has contributed greatly to the general dis-respect of law in America. The condition is made more insidiousby reason of the facts that the recipients of the privileges andimmunities are usually persons of positions and influence whoshould set the example for law obedience. They are the personswho are quick to demand the strict obedience to law by theless fortunate, and they possess the power to constitute a realthreat to the public officer who has the courage to defy them.

One form of police racketeering that is particularly objection-able is found in the sale of advertising in "Police Annuals".Many police departments officially permit annuals to be pub-lished with the provision that the proceeds from their publica-tion accrue to the police pension fund. The objection to thispractice lies in the fact that the major portion of the advertisingis solicited from persons who are engaged in activities of aquestionable nature or that are subject to considerable policesupervision, and though the cost of their advertisements ob-stensibly represents a contribution to an honorable and char-itable cause (the rates being entirely put of line with any realadvertising value), the contribution in fact implies a purchaseof protection for their questionable practices.

Other variations of the racket are found in Police BenefitBalls and other police sponsored gatherings, where admissioncharges are involved and where the charitable disposition ofproceeds are alleged. The usual practice in these instances isto dispose of tickets far in excess of the actual accommodationsof the gathering, by the simple expedient of delivering books often, twenty, or even larger numbers of tickets to all the persons

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engaged in questionable activities with the statement, "Here isyour share of the tickets for this event." This technique isidentical with methods perfected by Al Capone in the distribu-tion of bootleg liquor stocks.

The corruption of policemen often begins with obligationsthat are innocently acquired; involvements that have come uponthem subtlely. Clever criminals fully aware of the weaknessesof man recognize that the most powerful motive of humanbehavior is the desire to be of importance. They know too thatmen will vigorously defend themselves against loss of face.Crooks will use the techniques developed in confidence games toplay 'upon the vanity of policemen whom they hope to corrupt.Working subtlely and by the most indirect routes the policemanis manuevered into a position where he will accept a gift orfavor without knowing the real identity of the donor at thetime. Once the initial step is taken the policemen rapidly be-comes more seriously involved. It is but a short step until heis faced with the choice of corrupting his office to the benefit ofthe criminal, or publically accept responsibility for his pastindiscretions.

Another form of corrupt practice that has brought much dis-credit upon the police profession is involved in the attempts ofpolice administrators to appease one pressure group withoutincurring the disfavor of the opposing group. This practice isusually found in tie enforcement of anti-gambling or other vicelaws. For example, when laxity of enforcement of vice laws ina jurisdiction has brought sufficient pressure upon the policeservice that immediate action is imperative, the police headsorder the raiding of gambling establishments, but abuses ofpolice authority will be deliberately made in the procedureunder which the raids are conducted. In this manner, the anti-gambling pressure groups are momentarily appeased, and sometime later when the cases are brought to trial, they will be dis-missed because of the illegality of arrests, thus no great harmbefalls the violators. The real responsibility in practices of thischaracter rests squarely upon the shoulders of the police heads.Nevertheless, the police officer who willingly enters into theillegal action is also responsible.

The prevailing habit of policemen seizing upon every oppor-tunity to use their official positions for mercenary gain leadsthem into practices that are even more discreditable than their"mooching" proclivities. Included in this category of irregu-larities are many instances where police officers who investigatetraffic accidents involving commercial vehicles, appropriate to

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their personal use merchandise salvaged from the wreck. Inmany other instances officers serving search warrants uponillegally operated establishments will carry away and convertto their own use personal property that is not included in thecontraband listed in the search warrant.

Abuses of authority are not confined to the official activitiesof policemen but are often detected in his private undertakings.Outside businesses or occupations of policemen often influenceor limit their effectiveness in the discharge of their public obli-gations. Instances are of record where policemen have usedtheir official positions to the direct benefit of private businessor undertakings in which they may be interested.

TtAiNMG

Versatility is necessary to success in police service. Moreprofessional techniques are involved in modern police sciencethan in probably any other field of endeavor. Policemen arechallenged at every turn to render skilled services to the public.In a routine day a policeman may have to render first aid toan injured motorist, deliver a safety address, trail and appre-hend a dangerous criminal, convince a runaway boy of theerror of his ways, assist in the prosecution of a criminal case-these and many more are the abilities that the public confi-dently expects of policemen. Ideally, policemen must have someof the knowledges and skills of the lawyer, doctor, and theengineer; they must possess the endurance of an athlete; havethe insight of the sociologist and psychologist and the compas-sion of a minister. They must present resolute, dynamic per-sonalities particularly characterized by magnaminity.

Proper training is an important responsibility of the policeprofession and involves careful consideration of the quality oftraining and a close attention to the need for continuous trainingand research to keep abreast with the demands arising fromthe complex occurrences in our social development. The fullliberality of education must be preserved, and the police pro-fession should in no way seek to dominate the field of policetraining. On the contrary, it should encourage the developmentof police training in our institutions of learning and shouldinsist that the standards of these courses are maintained at atrue professional level. In-service or refresher training is adirect responsibility of the profession and of necessity mustbe carried out within the profession, but should be geared tothe preparatory training programs of our institutions of learn-

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ing in order that effective interchange nay be effected through-out the profession. The full facilities of our universities andcolleges should be used both in preparatory and in-servicepolice training.

Proper training and research will do much to ease many ofthe problems of cooperation that are so troublesome to lawenforcement today. For many years bar associations and thejudiciary have sought constructive reforms in the machinery ofprosecutions, in the constitution of courts, and in criminal pro-cedure. Progress has been slow, so slow at times to be dis-couraging; but with the rapid infiltration into the law enforce-ment field of carefully selected and highly trained policemen,it is believed that impetus will be given to this effort. Insteadof the unjust criticism of the courts and the law that has beenso common in the past, properly trained policemen are com-petent to recognize the common interest of the problems andare eager in their desire to cooperate in the solution. Intelligentanalysis of the problems, made in the light of the viewpoint ofthe law enforcement officer, should be a valuable aid to thebench and the bar in their diligent efforts to bring about themuch needed reforms.

Proper training is bringing about a marked improvement inthe relationship of the police service with the public. For manyyears the public generally looked upon the police service as anecessary evil. Police work was condoned as a necessary defenseagainst the incursions of the anti-social. Policemen were lookedupon as doorkeepers to the social habitation, stationed at itsportals to keep off intruders, but excluded from enjoying theactivities within. This relationship has undergone a decidedchange as trained policemen, alert to the value of public rela-tions, have encouraged the public in becoming better informedon the many activities of policemen that are not so directlyassociated with the activities of criminals. A more intelligentappreciation of police service has evolved, and policemen haverenewed interest in such subjects as courtesy, community respon-sibilities, and other public relations subjects.

The field of research offers almost unlimited possibilities forthe trained police officer. There is not a single phase of policeservice that does not hold out alluring possibilities of explora-tion. In the problem of traffic control alone there are unlimitedopportunities for research students to profitably apply theireffort.

Education is so important to the solution of the problems ofhuman relationships that the blame for nearly-all of the im-

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proper and objectionable practices of law enforcement officerscan be placed, fundamentally at least, upon a lack of propertraining. MNany of these mal-functions of law enforcement andincidents of unethical conduct of law enforcement agents can bedirectly attributed to inadequate educational preparation forthe work.

On many occasions prosecutors are cdnfronted with acquittalsin criminal cases because policemen who make the investigationsare not reliable, and the fundamental reason for their unrelia-bility is their ignorance-ignorance of the exacting rules ofevidence, of the necessity for continuity of custody of physicalevidence, and lack of familiarity with criminal procedure; allof these are contributing factors in the acquittals. The lack ofproper training and not being equipped to effectively dischargetheir duties is directly responsible for the loss of many criminalcases. In many instances, however, the officers whose very inad-equacies are responsible for the dismissal or loss of a case willpublicly criticize the prosecutor or court or both and will chargethem with failure to properly present or evaluate the evidence.In some jurisdictions the unwarranted public criticism of courts,prosecutors, and other law enforcement agencies by policemenwho are ignorant of their own shortcomings has seriously dis-rupted proper cooperation. In most of these instances, thoroughinquiry will disclose that the misunderstandings causing the fric-tion would never have occurred if the police had better under-stood the full responsiblities of government.

The failure of law enforcement in many localities can, in mostinstances, be traced to failures on the part of the rank and fileof police organizations to recognize their basic responsibilitiesin crime prevention. They fail to realize that crime is caused bya complex of related influences and that a program of crime sup-pression alone cannot effectively meet the need. They are in utterconfusion as to what measures can be relied upon to produceresults. It is surprising how many policemen still cling to theage-old fallacy that teeth in the law is the only effective deterrentto- crime. Thus because of a lack of understanding of funda-mental principles, when sudden waves of criminal offenses breakout, they are met with hysteria instead of an intelligent analysisof their causation. As a result of misunderstanding of causeand ignorance of -proper method of correction, crime drives arelaunched, criminals are rounded up and charged, not with thecrimes for which they may be guilty, but on trumped up chargesof vagrancy or disorderly conduct. Many poor unfortunateswhose only crimes were that of being unable to satisfactorily

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explain their presence on the street are sent to jail, all becausethe police services were unable to meet a difficult situation intel-ligently.

COOPERATION

The importance of cooperation in law enforcement cannot beover-emphasized. The rapid expansion of community horizonsand the ever widening sphere of individual influence has greatlyintensified the necessity for unrestricted cooperation among allagencies charged with the administration of the criminal law.

The speed of transportation and its availability to -the masseshas been an important factor in extending the perimeter of com-munity influence and has contributed greatly to the difficultiesof speedy criminal apprehensions. Within the span of a singlelifetime we have witnessed the extension of community horizonsfrom the confines of counties to areas of national extent, andwith the present promising developments of high speed airtransportation in the very near future the scope of individualinfluence may soon become world wide.

During the period of community. expansion the territorialjurisdictions of law enforcement officers remained unchanged.Jurisdictions that were fixed by laws enacted in the horse andbuggy days limit the areas within which policemen may freelyexercise their authority. The officer's problems are made stillmore troublesome by reason of the fact that many of the laws heis required to administer are also products of the horse andbuggy era and are presently inadequate or at least encumber-some and difficult of enforcement. Some assistance has appearedin new laws designed to simplify the problem, but there is stillmuch to be desired. Interstate operations of criminals are com-monplace today and involve many violations that fall within thejurisdiction of both Federal and State authority. Criminal meth-ods too have grown more complex by reason of the broader areasinvolved, thus adding more complexities to the problems ofdetection and apprehension.

The police service cannot arbitrarily cast aside the jurisdic-tional restrictions that have been placed upon them by law, norcan they shirk their immediate responsibility by obstinately in-sisting that the law should be changed. The law may limit theirjurisdiction, but there are no territorial limits placed upon theirmoral responsibilities. The fact remains that policemen can ef-fectively meet the changing condition if they will permit theirprofessional interests to expand into an area of influence thatwill keep well abreast that of the communities. The police pro-fession must be willing to discard the old horse and buggy

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concepts of localized responsibility and wholeheartedly acceptthe proposition that an unsolved crime in San Francisco is notalone the responsibility of the San Francisco Police Department,but is a national police responsibility, one that is important toevery law enforcement agency in the *United States. The policeprofession must forever discard the traditional practice of retir-ing behind the walls of their own bailiwick and lending a helpinghand to those outside their citadel only when there is reasonableassurance of receiving public credit for their participation. Theprevailing practice of using legal jurisdictional restrictions asan alibi for failure to cooperate must forever be ended.

Satisfactory progress can be made in the fight to suppresscrime if real cooperation is effected among all law enforcementbodies. Cooperation is defined as "association for commonbenefit." It is obvious then that real cooperation cannot beattained if selfish interests are allowed to enter. True coopera-tion is team work and necessitates full recognition and accept-ance of its implications by all the agencies of law enforcement.No agency can claim to be cooperating if it remains only on thereceiving end; it must give as well as receive. True cooperationinvolves a unity of purpose and coordination of effort that isfounded upon a sincere desire to heed the common interestsof all.

Cooperation is more than promises, it is more than the an-nouncement of programs or plans of coordination, it is morethan holding conferences accompanied by back slappings andoratorical pronouncements, and it is more than public pledgesand agreements to present a united front. Cooperation is thetranslation of the principles of good teamwork into definite andcontinuous action. It is an inescapable fact .that the principlesthat bring about cooperation deal with simple, elemental con-siderations of harmonious relationships.

The problem of obtaining cooperation in law enforcement isa complex and troublesome task. There is no simple formulaor master plan that can be broughi to bear upon the situation,nor is there a compulsory authority that can be evoked. Itssolution can .only be reached by mutual willingness of lawenforcement leaders to accept their responsibility in the matter,and to play their part on the team to the limit of their ability.

The greatest bar to achievement in this direction is the pettyprofessional jealousies that permeate the very fabric of lawenforcement effort. The blame for this condition primarily restswith the administrators, the heads of enforcement departments,who by compulsion implied in political expediency or by personal

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design, give first consideration to credit and notoriety. Theybecome so engrossed in accumulating credit and building per-sonal reputations that their departmental policies reflect theirattitude and the policies and concepts of the leaders are in turndefinitely reflected in the action of the rank and file. Jealousiesof reputation and bickering over publicity exists not only amonglaw enforcement agencies but is particularly common amongmembers within the same department. In many police depart-ments the jealousies arising between detectives and members ofthe uniformed division have become so intense that cooperationhas been as effectively blocked as would be the case if an insur-mountable wall had been constructed between the two functionaldivisions. A condition is frequently found in the investigationof singularly important crimes where two or more separateagencies are engaged, and each one will be bending every effortto prevent the other from having access to the facts that it hasuncovered. Many examples oflack of cooperation between po-licemen and between police agencies could be recorded, but theyare so commonplace that they need little exposition. The factthat is to be emphasized is that they invariably involve thesame motivating factor, namely desire for credit and notoriety.

Police administrators, when brought to task for permittingpetty jealousies within their departments to block effective en-forcement activities, are quick to place the blame upon politics.They will readily admit the condition but will cry, "What canwe do about it?" They may be correct in the assumption thatpolitical intervention is a serious obstacle in the administrationof their department, but in their willingness to adopt the de-featist role they openly admit their own unwillingness to accepttheir full responsibility to society. The supreme need of lawenforcement today is for leadership-leadership that is char-acterized by vision, understanding, unselfishness, and determi-nation. Police service needs men in high places who will notbrook defeat but who go on fighting for ideals with a faith thatcannot be shaken. It is a basic responsibility of the real leadersin police service to convince the political leaders of the politicalexpediency of efficiency in law enforcement.

The defeatist attitude that is so general in the law enforcementfield not only contributes heavily to the inefficiency of policeservice, but also constitutes a major obstacle in the way of trueprofessionalization of the service as well. A profession is char-acterized by an organization of those engaged in a commonservice, which is based primarily upon common interest andpublic responsibility. This is a constructive characteristic that

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is not comlpatible to defeatism. Cooperation cannot occur amongpolice. agencies until their common interests can he fully recog-nized and al)preciated. No one agency of law enforcement, noiuatter how strong its influence or how sincere its purposes, canalone briing about harmonious cooperation; neither can cooper-ation be accomlplislied among many agencies, so long as they arecompelled to act independently and without a common objective.Unless there is a common bond and definite organized effort theywill not reach comnnon ground, and their efforts no matter howearnest will be at variance by reason of strong individual bias.

CHARACTER

The importance of character as a factor in the considerationof police ethics cannot be fully appreciated unless the signifi-cance of leadership in police service is understood. The leader-ship exercised by policemen in the routine discharge of theirduties is of an impersonal type. It is leadership of a regulatorynature that is predicated upon the authority that the policemanrepresents, rather than the leadership of cooperation as exer-cised by a person in a supervising position. Obedience to thewill of a policeman does not necessarily imply deference to theofficer's personality. The willingness of citizens to submit tothe commands of policemen is motivated to a great degree byappreciation of the importance of public safety, respect, andconfidence in the police service. A powerful influence in securingthe public's confidence in a police department is found in person-alities of the members of the department; the effect that theirpersonalities have upon the citizens with whom they come intocontact. If in the aggregate these contacts are favorable, thenpublic respect and confidence are assured. This personal typeof leadership, which is much less tangible than the leadershipof authority, deserves careful consideration in the evaluationof character.

True leadership is personal; it is the psychological effect thata well-integrated personality will have upon those who comeunder its influence. It is difficult to enumerate specific charac-teristics that combine in the personality of a true leader, becauseindividuals differ in their viewpoints and reactions. The Ameri-can public is a willing body of people who ask little more of aleader than those qualities that will command their respect,loyalty, and obedience. The qualities that seem most commonto persons who command public respect and confidence are thosethat rate highly as influencbs in shaping strength of character.Among the most important of these traits or qualities are: self-

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confidence, self-sacrifice, paternalism, fairness, initiative anddecision, dignity, courage, and moral ascendancy.

Self-confidence is faith in oneself, and it is predicated uponknowledge, skill in applying knowledge, and in the ability andwillingness to pass one's knowledge on to the benefit of others.Self-confidence is in fact a state of mental satisfaction thatarises from being able to put the possession of knowledge to aconstructive use.

Self-sacrifice is fundamental to true leadership. It is an ines-capable fact that to contemplate a situation without bias requiresfirst a complete subordination of self. Effective police work re-quires the utmost in self-sacrifice. Policemen who are selfishlyimpressed with their authority cannot succeed as leaders. Ob-sessed with fears of the loss of power or authority, they arein a defensive position, which seriously affects their efficiencyand eventually destroys public confidence in their integrity.

Paternalism is a quality found in men who are mindful of thewelfare of others. It is basic to police leadership because publicwelfare is a primary responsibility of police service. Harmoniousrelationships between-police service and the public depends, to agreat degree, upon the paternalistic influence that enters in theshaping of public policies.

Fairness and honesty are qualities that have universal appeal.Nowhere is there greater opportunity or greater need to displaythese qualities than in the police service. A preponderance ofpublic crticism of law enforcement agencies is occasioned byreason of partiality or unfairness in exercising the police func-tion. Impartial application of laws and regulations and fair-ness and honesty in exercising the authority of office are pow-erful forces in insuring continued public respect of police service.

Initiative and decision are characteristic traits of men whoact correctly and at the proper time. The ability to act decisivelyand correctly is a manifestation of thorough preparedness andan interest in and an appreciation of the task at hand. Knowl-edge, mental alertness; and judgment all enter in the develop-ment of this very desirable trait. The ability of policemen tomeet emergencies with propriety and decision has a profoundeffect upon shaping favorable public opinion.

Personal dignity is indicative of a policeman's appreciation ofthe honor of his position. It is an excellent manifestation of his"esprit de corps" and is a powerful factor in creating publicrespect. Policemen who are paternalistic in their concern forpublic welfare, sympathetic in caring for citizens in distress,

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calm in the face of danger, firm in the enforcement of law, anddignified in their public relationships may be assured that theywill be held in high esteem by the citizens they serve.

The public assumes that policemen are physically courageous.The mere fact that they are in the uniform of law enforcementofficers implies that they have courage, yet true courage is notthoroughly understood by most people. It is a common misap-prehension to consider reckless disregard of danger as a mani-"festation of courage or bravery. True courage is that state ofdevotion to duty that will give men the moral stamina impellingthem to the performance of duty even in the face of full knowl-"edge of the dangers involved. There is still another type ofcourage that is demanded of policemen-a kind of courage thatis of even greater importance than physical courage. It is moralcourage, the particular kind of courage that enables men to takeit on the chin, to assume the responsibilities of their office with-out quibbling, and to bravely stand up for their conviction with-out attempting to shift blame or evade personal criticism. Moralcourage is synonymous with integrity.

Moral ascendancy is the influence that one person exercisesover a group of persons by reason of the exemplary nature ofhis character. It arises out of the practice of self-control, of theability to withstand the hardships and vicissitudes of the work,and of a sincerity of purpose that is manifest in willingness topersonally adhere, without equivocation, to the same standardsof conduct that he is duty-bound to enforce upon others. Police-men are particularly vulnerable to public criticism for lack ofthis quality. They must be able to control their emotions, tem-pers, and their likes and dislikes. They must be patient in timesof stress, calm in the face of danger, physically able to with-stand hardships without complaint, and be able to effectivelyconceal their worries. The final measure of moral ascendancy isfound in the true character of the individual, by the examplehe sets in his own living.

Moral ascendancy is most important in evaluating the effec-tiveness of commanding officers in the police service. The moralforce or lack of it in commanding officers is reflected in the verycharacter of the men under their control, and obviously becomesan important influence in the public's appraisal of police service.Commanding officers caunot maintain leadership over their menif at any time they are placed in positions of moral embarrass-ment. Questionable character of leaders in public service reflectsupon all the members of the group.

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SUMMARY

The Police Chiefs Association and the American Bar Associ-ation have frequently stated that police service should be profes-sionalized. We must accept the fact, however, that police serviceas it is now conducted does not meet all the requirements of aprofessional service. We recognize no serious bar to success inprofessionalization of the service though full attainment of ouraim may still seem to remain in the distant future. The greatestobstacle to achievement of our objective seems to rest with thepolice themselves. The police must recognize that their goalcannot be reached by the simple expedient of pronouncement orproclamation, but that the elevation of the standards of policeservice to professional acceptance must arise from a firm foun-dation of basic principles. Some of these principles have beenaccepted, others have not. Probably the most important prin-ciple still waiting acceptance and its proper place in the completestructure is the one that is concerned with rules of official con-duct, for it is only through ethical consideration of police servicethat we can fully appreciate the fact that no greater power norhigher honor can be bestowed upon any man than the duty ofupholding and defending the principles of the American way oflife.

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