PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT AND ETHICAL STANDARD

ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACTION

If our actions are simply to obey instructions, accountability requires only the report that
those instructions have been obeyed (perhaps saying, where, when and how). If our actions require
us to exercise some discretion (to make choices, to take decisions) then to be accountable requires
also an explanation. We need to explain why we acted, as we did, not only report what we have
done. We are accountable for the results or outcomes of our actions, for the professional standards
of our work, and for the effective use of resources including financial resources. Our accountability
need not be only to those who give a command.

For public service they must ultimately be accountable to:

 There is a network of accountability between the different organs of State. The aim is
usually to have some separation and balance of powers, so that no one part of the system
can dominate the others.

Accountability in Management

 Public services are mostly hierarchical, with each officer accountable to a manager.
Sometimes, the lines of management accountability are blurred.

Accountability to the Public

 Public servants are accountable to the public, that, in name, they are appointed to serve.
There has been increasing concern about this in the past few years, with an emphasis on
becoming directly accountable to “clients” or “customers”.

THE VICIOUS CYCLE

 Police officers are expected to risk their lives every day to protect the citizens who most
often do not appreciate them.
 Police officers are usually victims of the police trauma syndrome (PTS) that can develop after
catastrophic events that affect a police officer physically, emotionally, mentally and
behaviorally.
 The police profession is also plagued with burn-out. Job related stressors such as shift work,
hyper vigilance, poor nutrition, work overload, unpredictability, responsibility for people, and
ongoing contact with stress carriers all lend themselves to high burn-out. Other stressors are
peer pressure, family crisis, financial stress and boredom.

PUBLIC PERCEPTION
  Police officers have been hurled with accusations for unethical actions in solving crime or in
bringing the law breakers to justice (like police abuse, violation of human rights, harassment,
etc.), for missing, tampering or planting evidence, for not appropriately disposing confiscated
properties (like carnapped luxury vehicles), for committing perjury to gain convictions, etc.
 Now, the present- d a y policeman is much feared, vilified, and mistrusted, often the butt of
negative criticism, cruel jokes, and ridicule.

WHAT MAKES A POLICE OFFICER?

 James Q. Wilson (1968) wrote, "It is not money, or organization that defines the policeman's job,
it is the job that defines the policeman”. In a similar vein, Peter Manning and John van Maanen
observed (1978) "Policing is more than a job; it is a way of life." In short, what makes cops
different from non-police is the job itself.

FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF A POLICE OFFICER’S JOB

1. The Uniform.
o The uniform sets the officer apart, and it clearly identifies his or her status as a police
officer. It is not possible for the uniformed officer to be inconspicuous or to blend
into the crowd. Wearing the uniform marks, the officer as a member of a particular
minority group--the police.

2. The Power
o As previously discussed in earlier chapters, the uniformed police officer, with the
sidearm, baton, citation book, and other trappings of office, is a walking symbol of
government power. In most circumstances, both the officer and the citizen recognize
that the officer is in a dominant position and can-do things to reward or punish the
citizen. The fact of power means that the police officer is not an equal of the citizen on
the street. It changes the nature of the relationship between the citizens and the police.
3. The Working Hours
o In most places, police officers work rotating shifts. A typical pattern involves changing
work hours every month, so that the officer works days for one month, afternoons for
the next, nights for the third, and then days again. Police officers also work weekends,
holidays, and frequently must put in overtime in emergency situations, and for court
appearances.
4. The Danger
o Everyday thousands of PNP personnel patrol our streets. While carrying out this
function, they deal with several issues, situations, and problems. They must also cope
with a situation in which there is little time to decide and make a judgment, and
constant movement and attentiveness must always be observed in responding to a
call for help that may have life or death implications. This is true whether the officer
is patrolling large rural spaces or a small urban beat. As previously suggested, it is
more the exception than the rule for many patrol officers to have to deal with truly
crime related incidents, especially crimes in progress. Still, officers must always be
vigilant and ready because they never know when that “big call” will come that will
require every ounce of knowledge and skill to survive.
 5. The Dirty Work
o One of the most important things police do for society is its dirty work. The police
deal with dead bodies, crimes, crime victims, criminals, automobile accidents and
other aspects of society that most of us would rather not think about. As dirty
workers, police officers are untouchables, because we do not wish to be reminded of
what they do. Fogelson (1977) has suggested that the police occupation suffers from
what he calls a pariah complex. On a somewhat broader level, Egon Bittner (1975)
suggests that because the police have become the repository of coercive force, they
have what he termed as tainted occupation. That is, the police can (and do) use blatant
force to accomplish their tasks in a society that has increasingly become apathetic.

THE FILIPINO POLICE OFFICER

STRENGTHS OF THE FILIPINO POLICE OFFICER:

1. Spiritual Beliefs
 PNP members are traditionally religious and God-loving persons. They attend religious services
together with the members of their family. During times of great personal crisis and danger, they
bravely forge on, confident that Divine Providence will grant them protection and safety.
2. Valor
 History attests that the Filipino law-enforcers have exemplified the tradition of valor in
defending the country from aggression and oppression and protecting/preserving the life and
property of the people. They sacrificed their limbs and lives for the sake of their countrymen
whom they have pledged to serve.
3. Patriotism
 The PNP members are traditionally patriotic by nature. They manifest their love of country
with a pledge of allegiance to the flag and a vow to defend the Constitution.
4. Discipline
 The discipline of PNP members is manifested by instinctive obedience to lawful orders and
thorough and spontaneous actions towards attainment of organizational objectives guided
by moral, ethical and legal norms.
5. Courteous
 PNP members are upright in character, gentle in manners, dignified in appearance, and
sincere in their concern to fellowmen.
6. Word of Honor
 PNP members’ word is their bond. They stand by and commit to uphold it.
7. Duty
 PNP members have historically exemplified themselves as dedicated public servants who
perform their tasks with deep sense of responsibility and self- sacrifice. They shall readily
accept assignment anywhere in the country.
8. Loyalty
 PNP members are traditionally loyal to the organization, country and people as borne by
history and practice.
9. Camaraderie
 The binding spirit that enhances teamwork and cooperation in the police organization,
extending to the people they serve, is manifested by the PNP members’ deep commitment
and concern for one another.
WEAKNESSES OF THE FILIPINO POLICE OFFICER

1. Misplaced Loyalty
 Due to the bonds shared by police officers in their line of work, it becomes one’s paramount
duty to protect his fellow officers at all costs, as they would protect you, even though you may
have to risk your own career or your own life to do it. If your colleagues make a mistake, took a
bribe, seriously hurt somebody illegally, or got into other kinds of trouble, you should do
everything you can to protect them in the ensuing investigation. If your colleagues are routinely
breaking rules, you should never tell supervisors, reporters, or outside investigators about it. If
you don't like it, quit or get transferred to another assignment. But never, ever, blow the whistle.
2. Cynicism
 Sometimes, because of the experiences they acquire as law enforcers, police view all citizens
with suspicion. Everyone is a possible problem, but especially those who fit a type. Recruits learn
this way of looking at others from older officers if they have not come to the job already holding
these perceptions. Cynicism spills over to their relations with other people, since they have
found that friends expect favors and special treatment, and since police routinely witness
negative behavior even from the most upstanding of people. As a result, their work life
leads them to the conclusion that all people are weak, corrupt, and dangerous.
3. The Use of Force
 The police sometimes embrace force for all situations wherein a threat is perceived. Threats may
be interpreted as acts or statements "against the officer's authority" rather than those against
the officer's physical person. So, anyone with an "attitude problem" deserves a lesson in
humility. Force is both expressive and instrumental. It is a clear symbol of the police officer's
perceived authority and legitimate dominance in any interaction with the public, and it is also
believed to be the most effective method of control. In other words, everyone understands a
baton; it cuts across all social and economic barriers and is the most effective tool for keeping
people in line and getting them to do what is required without argument.
4. The Police as Victims Mentality
 This concept is based on the idea that the police are victims of public
misunderstanding and scorn, of low wages and self-serving administrators. This feeling of
victimization sets police apart from others and rationalizes a different set of rules for them as
opposed to other members of society. 4.5 Preferential Application of the Law. Decisions
about whether to enforce the law, in any but the most serious cases, should be guided by
both what the law says and who the suspect is. Attitude, demeanor,
cooperativeness, and even regional affiliation, age, and social class are all important
considerations in deciding how to treat people generally and whether to arrest suspects.
5. The Police as Untouchables
 Disrespect for police authority is an offense that should always be punished with an arrest
or use of force. This number one "offense," which is known as "contempt of a person in
uniform cannot be ignored. Even when the party has committed no violation of the law, a
police officer should find a safe way to impose punishment, including an arrest on fake
charges.
6. Rewards
 Police do very dangerous work for low wages, so it is proper to take any extra rewards the public
wants to give them, such as free meals, Christmas gifts and free access to movies, public
transport etc. The general rule is: Take any reward that does not change what you would do
 anyway, such as eating a meal, but do not take money that would affect your job, such as not
giving traffic tickets. One theory is that it is acceptable to accept any type of reward if an
individual gave it wholeheartedly to a police officer. This rationalization was even given a
term: LAUGHING MONEY.
7. Due Process
 Due process is only a means of protecting criminals at the expense of the law abiding and should
be ignored whenever it is safe to do so. Illegal searches and wiretaps, interrogation without
advising suspects of their rights, and if need be (as in the much-admired movies such as Dirty
Harry), even physical pain to coerce a confession are all acceptable methods for accomplishing
the goal the public wants the police to accomplish fighting crime. The rules against doing those
things merely handcuff the police, making it more difficult for them to do their jobs.
8. Lying and Deception
 Lying and deception are an essential part of the police job, and even perjury should be used if it
is necessary to protect yourself or get a conviction on a bad guy. Violations of due process
cannot be admitted to prosecutors or in court, so perjury is necessary and therefore proper.

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT AND POLICE ETHICAL STANDARD INTRODUCTION

Professional conduct and ethical standards and a high degree of honesty are more essential for
officers and members of PNP than for any member of the society. This is so, because they are entrusted
with the enforcement of the rules, regulations and ordinances created by City/Municipality and the laws
of the land created by the Congress that guide the conduct of society. A policeman’s violation or
infraction thereof, or his failure to enforce it, dishonors the law and the authority he represents.

All members of PNP shall abide and adhere to the provisions of Code of Professional
Conduct and Ethical Standards. Toward this end, a truly professional and dedicated law enforcer
shall be developed in promoting peace and order, ensuring public safety and enhancing community
participation guided by the principle that all public servants must always be accountable to the
people.

They shall serve with utmost responsibility, integrity, morality and efficiency with due
respects to human right and signify as hallmarks of a democratic society. They shall always bear
faithful allegiances to the legitimate government, support and uphold the constitution, respect the
duly constituted authority and be loyal to the service.

CODE

 Any system of rules and principles. The law Enforcement Code of Ethics basic system of
ethical rules for police officers.

PRINCIPLES

 A rule of conduct. The Code of Ethics are basic rules that every police officer must follow and a
system of rules that must control your behavior both on-du and off-duty.

OATH

 A formal and solemn commitment usually asking God and others to witness that you’re
sincerely intend to do what you say and promising what you say is t absolute truth.
CANONS OF POLICE ETHICS
Primordial Police Responsibility

 the primary responsibility of the police is CRIME PREVENTION

Limitation of Police Authority

 laws set limits to the authority of the police in the performance of their functions
 police officers are not exempted from obeying the law they are enforcing

Knowledge of the law and other Responsibilities

 police officers must know and understand the laws they are enforcing
 police officers must know the relationship of the PNP with other law enforcement agencies

Use of Proper Means to obtain Ends

 Means = ways; manner Ends = goals; objectives

Proper Conduct and Behavior

 police officer must be careful with what they say and what do always, whether in their personal
lives or official capacity

Conducting in Arresting Law Violators

 police officer must always abide by the rules and prescribed procedures in making lawful arrests

Firmness is Refusing Gifts or Favors

 police officers must NEVER ASK for and NEVER ACCEPT, gifts or favors in exchange for
their help or assistance to avoid misinterpretation

Impartial Presentation of Evidence

 Impartial = fair
 police officers must present all evidence whether the evidence proves the innocence or guilt of
the suspect

Attitude Toward Police Profession

 police officers must have a high regards and respect for the police profession
 police officers must strive to improve their knowledge and skill to serve the community the best
possible way they can.

PROFESSIONAL POLICE PRINCIPLES

 the ability of the police to perform their duty is dependent upon community support
 the police must secure the respect and trust of the community to gain their support
Unreasonable Force Reduce Community Cooperation

 police officers must not abuse their authority because it affects the attitude and opinions of the
community towards them, which in turn affects their desire to cooperate

Use of Reasonable Forces when Persuasion is not Sufficient

 police officers are not allowed to use force when dialogue is no longer effective, but the kind or
degree of force must be reasonable.

REASONABLE Impartial Enforcement of Laws

 police officers must enforce the law equally to all persons, without regard to social status
 the law should apply to all (nemo est supra leges)

Police should not Usurp Judicial Power Usurp (take on, assumes)

 Judicial power - the authority to judge and impose penalty

Reduction of crime and Disorder

 the test of police efficiency is the reduction of crime and disorder until totally eradicated, not by
evidence of police presence and action in dealing with the community

Rules of Engagement Impartially Observed

 police officers must always abide by the prescribed procedures in conducting police operations

ABUSE OF DISCRETION

 the use of discretion in such a way as to deprive a person of his right

POLICE DISCRETION

 the act or the liberty to decide according to the principles of justice and the police officer’s
ideas of what is right and proper under the circumstances

Prevention of Crime and Disorder

 it is the primary objective of the police organization