Seminar on Contemporary Police Problem

Contemporary Police Problem may be Classified into the following:

Police Misconduct - is a broad category.The term refers to a wide range of procedural,criminal and civil violations.

Police Corruption - is the abuse of authority for personal gain.

Misconduct - is procedural when it refers to police who violate police department rules and regulation.

Criminal - when it refers to police who violate the penal laws.

Civil - when it refers to police who violate a citizens civil right.

Common forms of Misconduct

Excessive use of physical or deadly force

Discriminatory arrest

Physical or verbal harassment

Selective Enforcement of the law

False arrest and imprisonment

Perjured testimony about illegal searches

Common Forms of Police Corruption

Bribery

Extortion

Receiving of Fencing Stolen goods

Selling drugs,theft of drugs and money from drug dealer

malicious prosecution

Making false report and committing perjury

Protecting illegal gambling

Theft of seized property

Receiving discounts on purchases

What are the safeguards against police misconduct

Establish Code of conduct

Train new recruit ethically and properly

Investigate and Discipline violators

Establish independent body ex. Pleb

Despite legal safeguards and well intentioned reforms, Police problems have continued to produce headlines.

What can society do against the age-old problem of police misconduct and corruption? ans. Monitor and Correct.

Trends in the forms of Police Corruption

1. Drugs - became the major driver of corruption replacing

gambling, prostitution and alcohol.

2. Corruption is systemic in police departments.

Systemic - affecting the entire system, group, body or society as a whole.

Standard strategies for reducing Police Corruption

1. Create permanent external oversight over the police with

particular emphasis on monitoring police officer behavior.

2. Holding supervisors responsible for the integrity of their

subordinate.

3. Reforming merit promotion and assignment.

4. Changing police culture.

5. Creating training programs in integrity for recruits and in-service

personnel particularly first line supervisors.

6. Creating an effective internal integrity monitoring unit.

7. Annually evaluating the integrity of all officers.

8. Making the Chief responsible for enforcing all disciplines.

10. Improving standards for recruitment and training.

Information about Police corruption comes from several sources

1. Appointed commission/Body of investigation

2. Civil and Criminal investigations of police behavior

3. Investigations undertaken by the police themselves

4. Accounts by public media

5. Observations by outside witnesses

6. Surveys of police officers and the public

7. Accounts by people involved in corrupt activity

Being on the Pad - this phrase is associated with bribery and extortion, a category of police corruption.

Police Brutality - actions such as using abusive language, making threats, using force or coercion unnecessarily, prodding
with night sticks and stopping and searching people to harass.

Most Common Types of Corruption in the PNP

1. Case Fixing - subjective imposition of penalties or downright

sabotage of the investigation process in exchange

for money or other things for personal gain.

2. Bribery - receipt of cash or a gift in exchange for past of future

assistance in avoidance of prosecution.

3. Extortion - common practice of holding "street court" where

incidents such as minor traffic tickets can be avoided

with a cash payment to the officer and no receipt given.

4. Protection - taking of money or other rewards from vice operators

or from legitimate companies operating illegally

5. Recycling - use or sale of confiscated items and evidence, usually

drugs or narcotics.

6. Selective Enforcement - occurs when police officer exploit their

officer discretion e. areglo, balato.

7. Internal Pay-Offs - sale of work assignments, day offs, holidays,

vacation period and even promotion