Police Officer Insubordination

Furthermore, rules and procedures formalize a department and make sure that the officer’s conduct stays consistent and appropriate. Although police officers must strive to abide by all the rules and regulations, it does not always happen that way. Even the most formalized of agencies face discrepancies between their formal policies and informal practices. Departments can have problems with officers that do not abide by implemented policies or simply don’t understand them. Insubordination can be detrimental to a department and the image of law enforcement officers in general. If an officer does not follow orders it can expose themselves andtheir department to legal liability, as well as public scrutiny. For example, if an officer does not follow …show more content…
As previously stated, orders are used to correct previous mistakes and prevent them from ever occurring again. A prime example of how insubordination can be a safety issue is by failing to properly search a prisoner. If an officer fails to adequately search a prisoner they can overlook weapons, contraband or other dangerous items that can harm an officer. A prisoner can easily cause serious bodily injury to officers or bystanders if he or she is still in possession of a hidden …show more content…
Police officers must understand that the chain of command is used to keep order and structure in a police department for its day to day operations to run in an organized manner. If officers do what they please and do not follow a chain of command there will be no way to keep structure and order within the ranks. A veteran officer through his time and experience on the jobwould understand this more and would know that the chain of command is a vital component of any functioning and well organized police department. Whether the deviation of following orders was accidental or intentional, there are still serious repercussions that follow. Some consequences for insubordination can be a simple reprimand, suspension or it can ultimately lead to job termination. It is understood that not all insubordination may due to an officer’s unwillingness to follow orders, but due to a lack of training and supervision. However, failure to hold officers accountable for their lack of order anddiscipline can lead them to believe that their actions are acceptable. Not all reprimands need to be harsh, as leaders they must also practice fairness. They shall commend an officer’s good work, but also coach and train their failures in an effort to fix the causes of failure.Law enforcement officers are supposed to be exemplary role models. When an officer behaves unreasonably it taints their reputable image and the departments. The public trusts that an officer will behave properly and