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Law Enforcement Code of Ethics

The Law Enforcement Code of Ethics outlines the fundamental duties of law enforcement officers to serve the community, protect citizens, and respect constitutional rights. Officers must maintain private lives that uphold these standards as examples to others. They should remain courageously calm in dangerous situations and be honest, obeying both the law and their department's regulations. Officers will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without bias or accepting gratuities, recognizing that their badge represents public trust.

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Edward Cullen
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103 views3 pages

Law Enforcement Code of Ethics

The Law Enforcement Code of Ethics outlines the fundamental duties of law enforcement officers to serve the community, protect citizens, and respect constitutional rights. Officers must maintain private lives that uphold these standards as examples to others. They should remain courageously calm in dangerous situations and be honest, obeying both the law and their department's regulations. Officers will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without bias or accepting gratuities, recognizing that their badge represents public trust.

Uploaded by

Edward Cullen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Law Enforcement Code of Ethics

As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve the community; to safeguard lives
and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or
intimidation and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the constitutional
rights of all to liberty, equality, and justice.
I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all and will behave in a manner that does
not bring discredit to me or to my agency. I will maintain courageous calm in the face of danger,
scorn or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others.
Honest in thought and deed both in my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying
the law and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or
that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is
necessary in the performance of my duty. 
I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, political beliefs, aspirations,
animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with
relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without
fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never
accepting gratuities.
I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to
be held so long as I am true to the ethics of police service. I will never engage in acts of
corruption or bribery, nor will I condone such acts by other police officers. I will cooperate with
all legally authorized agencies and their representatives in the pursuit of justice.
I know that I alone am responsible for my own standard of professional performance and will
take every reasonable opportunity to enhance and improve my level of knowledge and
competence.
What is a professional code of ethics?
A professional code of ethics is a set of principles designed to help a business govern
its decision-making and distinguish right from wrong. Often referred to as an ethical
code, these principles outline the mission and values of an organization, how the
professionals within the organization are supposed to approach problems and the
standards to which employees are held.
In some industries, such as finance or public health, specific laws dictate professional
conduct. In other industries, a code of ethics may be voluntarily adopted. For example,
a business that doesn’t necessarily focus on climate change might still detail its
commitment to sustainability in its official code of ethics.

Why is a code of ethics important?


A professional code of ethics is designed to ensure employees are behaving in a
manner that is socially acceptable and respectful of one another. It establishes the rules
for behavior and sends a message to every employee that universal compliance is
expected. It also provides the groundwork for a preemptive warning if employees break
the code. A code of ethics can be valuable not just internally as a professional guide but
also externally as a statement of a company’s values and commitments.
Examples of a professional code of ethics
Here are some examples of a professional code of ethics in different professions:
Lawyers
Lawyers are bound to a professional code of ethics that exists independently of their
employment.
For example, Rule 1.1 in the American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional
Conduct reads, “A lawyer shall provide competent representation to a client. Competent
representation requires the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation
reasonably necessary for the representation.”
Physicians
Like lawyers, physicians are held to a universal code of conduct because of their chosen
profession. The American Medical Association addresses everything from patient care to
relationships with other staff members. For example:
1. A physician shall provide competent medical care, with compassion and respect for
human dignity and rights.
2. A physician shall uphold the standards of professionalism, be honest in all professional
interactions and strive to report physicians deficient in character or competence, or
engaging in fraud or deception, to appropriate entities.
3. A physician shall respect the law and recognize a responsibility to seek changes in those
requirements which are contrary to the best interests of the patient.
Financial advisers
Financial advisers are legally bound to a code of ethics known as a fiduciary duty. This code
requires them to act in the best interest of their clients. Certified public accountants (CPAs) are
expected to follow similar ethical standards of truthfulness, objectivity and integrity.
Teachers
Professional educators are typically held to a universal code of ethics that is designed to protect
the rights of all students. The code of ethics can vary from school to school or differ slightly in
each state, but the basic principles always remain the same: Teachers are required to show
impartiality, integrity and ethical behavior in the classroom and in their conduct with parents and
colleagues.
Businesses
Businesses often establish a professional code of ethics to help employees decide if certain
behaviors are acceptable. Some examples of this are:
 Confidentiality and privacy policies: Companies may require employees to maintain
confidentiality when handling clients’ private information or when dealing with the
company’s own proprietary data.
 Obeying the law: Companies may specify guidelines that require employees to abide by
the law. For example, they may discuss profiting from—or enabling others to profit from
—inside information regarding a company’s financial stability, performance or internal
problems.
 Caring and consideration policies: Companies may establish policies requiring
employees to behave in a caring and considerate manner. For example, if you provide
home healthcare services to senior citizens, treating the patient and their family with care
and consideration can impact your ability to obtain new clients. Employers could also
include these policies about how employees treat one another. This can ensure everyone
understands that behaving with consideration and compassion is a baseline expectation
and that other behavior will not be tolerated.

In some industries, such as finance or public health, specific laws dictate professional conduct. In
other industries, a code of ethics may be voluntarily adopted. For example, a business that
doesn’t necessarily focus on climate change might still detail its commitment to sustainability in
its official code of ethics.

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