VALUES & ETHICS OF

PUBLIC
RESPONSIBILITY

Eric John R. Nemi

 ETHICS

What is it?

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 ETHICS
Ethics is defined as:

The “standards of conduct and moral

requirements” necessary to function effectively
within an organization or profession.

But what does that mean?

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 ETHICS
Ethics, in the law enforcement context, means
honest and honorable service
to the community
rather than working for personal gain or individual
profit.

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 VALUES

What are they?

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 VALUES

Values are those ideas and concepts within each

of us that we deem important.

 guide us.
 help determine our behaviors as we live our
lives, and assist our decision making.
 help us decide right from wrong, and
 help define who we are and what we stand for.

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 VALUES

Values originate from:

 Our families,
 Traditions,
 Religion,
 Elders, and
 Friends.

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 GROUP & ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES

Group and Organizational values may be formal

or informal.

 Values help the group and the organization survive

 Organizations develop values much the same as each

individual has developed values.

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 GROUP & ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES

Good organizations are formed by

acceptance of good values.

 Those organizations viewed negatively by the people they serve are

made up of poor values, developed by poor employees.

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 GROUP & ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES

Our Agency will be an effective organization only if it

develops good values. A good value system for a
public agency includes:

 Honesty and integrity

 Respect for Human Rights
 Professionalism
 Strong sense of justice
 Desire to help and serve others
 Patriotism
 Selflessness
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CHALLENGES TO PUBLIC ETHICAL
BEHAVIOR
The primary challenges to ethical behavior are due to:

 Individual character challenges or,

 Organizational challenges.

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CHALLENGES TO PUBLIC ETHICAL
BEHAVIOR
Individual character challenges – These difficulties arise
from personal flaws or defects where public employee/s
engage in acts of
 Dishonesty,
 greed,
 brutality, or
 individual acts of corruption.

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CHALLENGES TO POLICE ETHICAL
BEHAVIOR
Organizational challenges
– more difficult to deal with.

Example: Agencies that engage in corrupt practices

include such activities as offering “protection rackets” to
allow criminals to continue business, while demanding a
percentage of the criminal gains;

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CORRUPTION AND MISCONDUCT

What does that mean?

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CORRUPTION AND MISCONDUCT

Corruption
… misuse of authority ‘for personal gain.

Misconduct
…nonconformity with obligations. It encompasses
corruption and a host of other misdeeds.

Integrity
…uncompromising adherence to a set of values.
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 HOW CORRUPTION IS
VIEWED?
EMPLOYEE a subject to be avoided
VIEW

PUBLIC a feeling of betrayal

VIEW
PUBLIC
AGENCY
must use preventive controls ACTION
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 BLIND LOYALTY OF PUBLIC
EMPLOYEE
DEVELOPMENT TOLERANCE FOR
OF TRUST CORRUPTION

BOND OF “BAD PUBLIC

BROTHERHOOD SERVANT”

CORRUPTION

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FORMS OF CORRUPTION
TAKING KICKBACKS &
NEGOTIABLE GRAFT
SIMILAR REWARDS

OPPORTUNISTIC
EXTORTION
THEFT

ACCEPTANCE OF TAKING BRIBES FROM

PETTY BRIBES OTHER
OFFICERS/SUPERVISORS

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DAMAGE DONE BY
CORRUPTION
FACILITATION OF EROSION OF PUBLIC
CRIME CONFIDENCE

IMPAIRMENT OF
DEPARTMENTAL
MORALE

Interference with
departmental efficiency Superior has no control
& effectiveness of misconduct of
subordinates
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