Firstly, in understanding Police discretion someone would want to know if the concept has any benefit to society. In fact there are many strengths or advantages associated with the principle of police officers using their discretion. When a police officer uses his or her discretion it allows them to make a decision that is fair and humane, which in turn can improve the way people view the police. If the police were to follow the laws to latter, they would be perceived to be unfair to society and hence rejected (Rivera, 2006). This shows a major strength in the use of discretion by police officers mostly because it helps to build the moral of the officer and also contributes in building a community’s trust in the police, for example in
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The abuse of a police officers privilege to use discretion can result in racial profiling and discrimination, or in other words officers making arrest solely based on the ethnic background of citizens. Although police officers require the ability to exercise discretion in carrying out their tasks, there are concerns that, in some instances this results in discrimination (Griffiths 2013). An officers beliefs or perception of another group of people can cause them to view citizens of a certain ethnic group in negative light, which may influence their use of discretion and decision making. For example, an officer who has a view that certain groups of people are more likely to commit crimes or be violent might use discretion as a tool to unfairly target minority ethnic groups. In 2011, the Montreal police chief admitted that racial profiling was widespread in the police force and the department implemented a number of training initiatives designed to alter the organizational culture and the attitudes and behaviours of officers (Griffiths 2013). This illustrates a clear weakness of Police discretion and the different problems that can arise when a police officer abuses his or her discretionary powers and the ways in which an officers personal beliefs and views might influence their use of
The abuse of a police officers privilege to use discretion can result in racial profiling and discrimination, or in other words officers making arrest solely based on the ethnic background of citizens. Although police officers require the ability to exercise discretion in carrying out their tasks, there are concerns that, in some instances this results in discrimination (Griffiths 2013). An officers beliefs or perception of another group of people can cause them to view citizens of a certain ethnic group in negative light, which may influence their use of discretion and decision making. For example, an officer who has a view that certain groups of people are more likely to commit crimes or be violent might use discretion as a tool to unfairly target minority ethnic groups. In 2011, the Montreal police chief admitted that racial profiling was widespread in the police force and the department implemented a number of training initiatives designed to alter the organizational culture and the attitudes and behaviours of officers (Griffiths 2013). This illustrates a clear weakness of Police discretion and the different problems that can arise when a police officer abuses his or her discretionary powers and the ways in which an officers personal beliefs and views might influence their use of