Unethical Police Operations

Unethical Police OperationsRoxabel Perez GarciaCJA/214October 30, 2014Clifton Scott FranklinRunning head: UNETHICAL POLICE OPERATIONS 1

UNETHICAL POLICE OPERATIONS 4

Unethical Police OperationsWhen officers use more than the minimum amount of force necessary to control a situation, it becomes not just excessive force but police brutality. Police brutality can be viewed as officers expressing malicious intent to harm, to cause physical harm that may or may not lead to death, and the use of words to harm being verbal brutality. Police corruption and misconduct is also a problem within the police departments, being the misuse of authority by a police officer, an act that involves the officers misuse of his/her authority for personal gain, also making false arrests, discrimination of charges , misuse of power for sexual reasons which invites the possibility of blackmail and corruption. There are two categories for corruption, grass eaters and meat eaters. Grass eaters will simply accept gifts or favors from individuals, but does not seek out or demands. Meat eaters in contrast will make demands and bribe in exchange for protection. As an example of these unethical behaviors by police officers, in the case of police brutality in the death of a young man name Sean Bell killed by a New York Police Department officers and the case of Ashley Roane a patrol officer charged with corruption.In the case of police brutality, The New York Times (2011),a young man named Sean Bell was killed by NYPD officers, being shot at 50 times while being inside his vehicle with two of his friends. On November 25, 2006, 23 year old Sean Bell and two of his friends where exiting a club were they were Sean Bell and his two friends were celebrating Mr. Bells bachelors party. The club where the party was held was under police surveillance inside and outside the building. Later that night the three man had exited the club and enter their vehicle driving by an unmarked van where the undercover cops where in. The cops immediately responded with fire, one officer firing 31 times emptying two full magazines.Sean Bell was shot in the neck, shoulder and right arm later dying at the hospital. Bells two friends that were also in the car with him 21 year old Joseph Guzman and 23 year old Trent Benefield were hospitalized for multiple gunshots.The undercover officers involved in the shooting and death of Sean Bell, were found by jury guilty and indicted. On March, 2007 detectives Michael Oliver and Gescard F.Isnora were charged 1st degree and 2nd degree manslaughter, also were fired from the NYPD. Detective Marc Cooper was charged with reckless endangerment and was forced to resign. On July, 2010 the NYC agreed to pay more than $ 7.million to settle a federal law suit filed by the family and two friends of Sean Bell. Forensic evidence indicates that the firing began when Sean Bell rammed his vehicle into the unmarked police van.Police brutality is not the only concern within the police department, but also police corruption and misconduct. The FBI Baltimore Division,(2014) states that a police officer charged in a drug corruption and misconduct by providing protection, accessing databases for an informant, and accepting cash payments.Ashley Roane a 25 year old patrol officer was obtaining department information for a man she thought to be a drug dealer whom instead was an investigator from the F.B.I who has been investigating her for a while. Roane was proving social security numbers to obtain false tax refunds. Roane was also involved in a drug trafficking deal, agreeing to watch over the source (undercover FBI) as he carried out a heroin transaction. On April 24, Roane accepted $ 1,500 in cash for what she thought came from a tax scheme and $500 as payment for providing protection.Roane was charged with attempted possession with intent to distribute one kilo or more of heroin, drug trafficking, and identity theft for the tax scheme sentenced to 5 years in prison.On the Sean Bells outcome I agree at some extent, I believe that the officers should have serve some time in jail for the crime they committed, but I am glad that the NYPD did the right thing to fire those two detectives and doing something about it. As for the Ashley Roane outcome, I agree with the outcome. I agree with all the charges that were brought against her and she should do time as the criminal that she is.

The New York Times.(2011).Retrieved from http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/sean_bell/index.htmlThe FBI Baltimore Division.(2014).Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/baltimore/press-releases/2014/former-baltimore-police-officer-sentenced-to-five-years-in-prison-for-protecting-a-heroin-dealer-and-illegally-accessing-police-databases-in-fraudulent-tax-refund-schemeGrant, B.H., & Terry, J.K. Chap 9 (2012). Law Enforcement in the 21st Century (3rd ed.).