Bribery In Law Enforcement

It is often a debatable question as to why some people go into careers in law enforcement. Is it because they want to protect and enforce laws in their community, or is it so they can reap all the benefits that come with the job? One would hope that it is for the right reasons other than gaining power over others just because of what the job entitles you to do. Being an enforcer of the law entails one to have morals and respect for the law. If people in a local community offers discounted meals, free coffee, or free doughnuts to a police officer what does it say about the police officer that accepts this gratuity? Being a police officer means that you have to be moral and just with the decisions you are forced to make. The job requires …show more content…
People that enforce the law every day should be doing what is right in the eyes of the law and punishing those who don't obey it. Bribery is something that is extremely important to avoid when it comes to the public and law enforcers. Many people in high crime rate areas often bribe police officers with donations in order for more protection. Unfortunately, that is not the case and they are lawfully not allowed to give any form of special treatment to certain families. According to Withrow, "The giver offers a gratuity or bribe, and the receiver performs in a way consistent with the wishes of the giver, yet inconsistent with prior responsibilities." This can easily result in exploitation and can lead to extreme forms of police corruption. Bribery is not something that should be taken lightly because it shows that the policing being demonstrated is unethical and immoral. Everyone should be treated the same and offering gifts to a local officer will not and should not be effective in any way in terms of …show more content…
Although, a simple gesture may not seem so harmful and detrimental to a police officer's career it actually is, and it exhibits superiority and authority over everyone else. It is very evident that they put their lives out on the line every day to protect the community, but it is what they chose to do with their life. When one decides on their career they shouldn't think about the gifts that would come with it, but the reward of just being able to help people in general. For example, firefighters run into burning buildings and they do it because they want to help save people and not for any reward other than that. Every career has a certain job that it entails but what matters is how that person uses the power they have to do the right thing. If it is necessary for a cop to gain the local communities trust by accepting something small then that is fine. It is more worrisome when they start doing things for the wrong reasons that cause questionable doubt on their morality and why they do what they do. After all, the amount of hard work they put into keeping the streets safe deserves a thank you every now and