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Careers: Police/LAW enforcement and moral disagreement

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Expert: - 9/23/2008


Question
Hi

I'm interested in becoming a police officer in Texas. But, I want to know how other police officers deal with moral issues about the laws they disagree with personally. Are there even such officers around or do all officers blindly enforce the law regardless of their personal views? Is such a blind enforcement a requirement to be a LEO?

Example: Discriminating laws regarding blacks had to be enforced by officers prior to civil rights movement if they were to enforce all applicable laws without using their personal judgment or discretion.

I'm more interested to know how the officers' own discretion or judgment is allowed to work in LE system regarding such laws & issues. Of course the massively racists laws don't exist anymore, I only used it as a distinguishable example.

Thank you for your time and efforts.

Answer
Hi Brennan,

You have hit on the age old question of following orders and laws even though you may not agree with them. Laws are voted on and passed by our governing bodies, if police officers were able to pick and choose what laws we want to enforce, then you can probably imagine how bad that could get. You can not start not enforcing this law or that, because then you have to decide where to draw the line at other laws and being fair to all the people you are sworn to serve.

I am sworn to serve all the people, equally, and without putting my own personal feelings about the laws I enforce into the mix. If I let the guy with a little amount of pot go, then how much pot does he have to have to be arrested, if at all? What gives me the right to do that?

Police officers have discretion only when it comes to civil infractions, also known as traffic laws (most). We have some discretion then, but even that has to be used fairly. If you are going to be lenient on one person, then you should be lenient to all people in the same given situation right? You see the problem?

While police officers may have personal views on certain laws and subjects, when it comes to work, and enforcing those laws, we have to follow what our government has put down for us. If I disagree with a law, I can not say I will not enforce it, or I am violating my sworn duty to uphold the laws of the state and country.

I hope that makes it a little clearer. If you still have questions or examples you want to run by me feel free, I will try to explain them to the best of my ability.

Be well..

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Chris Wagoner

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I have been a police officer for 30+ years! I am the Police Academy Commander at the Santa Fe College, Institute of Public Safety in Gainesville Florida It is a full service Law Enforcement and Corrections training facility. I can answer most questions concerning law enforcement procedures, law enforcement training and general questions about law enforcment. I can also answer questions about becoming a law enfocement officer. I have a booklet and web page I have written that answers many questions about how to become a police officer called "So you want to be a cop (police Officer) in Florida?", which is free, Google it.. All you have to do is ask. I teach the following subjects: RADAR/LASER, Law Enforcement Driving, Law Enforcement Firearms and Patrol Techniques, Officer Safety, WMD's for Patrol Officers, Application of Law, Communications skills, Dealing with the Mentally and physically handicapped, and many more subjects. I have worked as a subject matter expert for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and helped to write the police curriculum for the State of Florida. I like answering questions about how to become a police officer, and questions about why did an officer do this or that type questions. I also like answering any questions you may have about police work in general. I do not mind helping with homework questions or trying to answer your questions about legal subjects that I have knowledge of. You will never know the answer until you ask! If you do ask a question, PLEASE take the time to at least rate the answer. I do not get paid to answer these questions and do it on my own time. If you ask, please rate it when I answer. Thanks!!! If its a question about becoming a police officer, it may be answered here: http://sites.google.com/site/flaleohelp/ My "hobby" website - http://www.youtube.com/user/3rdID8487 Military Videos on YouTube and Facebook!!

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I am a 30+ year veteran police officer, I am currently the Police Academy Commander of an Academy in North FLorida. I have been training police officers since 1993 and have trained them in all aspects of law enforcement, including firearms, Driving and legal subjects including patrol techniques and others and training all over the world. I have trained over 5000 officers worldwide in the last 16 years of training.

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I am a published author in Accident Investigation from the University of North Florida, Institute of Police Technology and Management. Also have written and published on the Internet, "So You Want to be a Cop (Police Officer) in Florida?" you can Google it..

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Phi Theta Kappa, plus 50+ Departmental Awards over the years. FBI Directors award for assisting in a Nationwide investigation into Child pornography.

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