Ethical dilemmas occur countless times each day, and when faced with one the decision to act ethically or not can be a complex choice. Police officers encounter ethical dilemmas quite frequently and their choice on whether to act ethically may result in drastic consequences. For example, Officer Jacob Jankowski encountered an ethical dilemma when making a traffic stop on December 31, 2016. New Year’s Eve always comes with heightened risk of drunk drivers and Officer Jankowski was on high alert for impaired drivers.
Officer Jankowski witnessed a black Toyota Camry swerve numerous times back and forth over the dividing line on a back road that is not utilized by most drivers due to the recent expansion of the highway. The Toyota was the only car on the road at this time and no other cars passed during Officer Jankowski’s traffic stop. Officer Jankowski turned on his lights; signaling the driver to pull over. Officer Jankowski approached the Toyota and asked the driver, a lone young female, for her driver’s license and registration. From his vantage …show more content…
Letting Samantha off with a warning carried significant consequences. Samantha could cause an accident injuring herself or others if Officer Jankowski allowed her to keep driving, but letting her off with a warning allows the police department to stay in the good graces of Judge Robertson. Officer Jankowski could chose to charge Samantha with a DUI therefore protecting herself and others from harm, but this could also result in Judge Robertson’s vehement disapproval of the police force. This ethical dilemma can be analyzed using the moral theories of utilitarianism and egoism. Each theory carries with it different priorities and consequences but in the end Officer Jankowski must choose one route to determine how he should deal with the dilemma in front of
Officer Jankowski witnessed a black Toyota Camry swerve numerous times back and forth over the dividing line on a back road that is not utilized by most drivers due to the recent expansion of the highway. The Toyota was the only car on the road at this time and no other cars passed during Officer Jankowski’s traffic stop. Officer Jankowski turned on his lights; signaling the driver to pull over. Officer Jankowski approached the Toyota and asked the driver, a lone young female, for her driver’s license and registration. From his vantage …show more content…
Letting Samantha off with a warning carried significant consequences. Samantha could cause an accident injuring herself or others if Officer Jankowski allowed her to keep driving, but letting her off with a warning allows the police department to stay in the good graces of Judge Robertson. Officer Jankowski could chose to charge Samantha with a DUI therefore protecting herself and others from harm, but this could also result in Judge Robertson’s vehement disapproval of the police force. This ethical dilemma can be analyzed using the moral theories of utilitarianism and egoism. Each theory carries with it different priorities and consequences but in the end Officer Jankowski must choose one route to determine how he should deal with the dilemma in front of