Assignment task: You are a patrol officer on duty with your partner. At approximately 1:45 a.m., you observe a fast-moving vehicle run through a red stoplight. You attempt to stop the vehicle, which refuses to pull over but does turn on its hazard signal. Using light detection and ranging (lidar) technology, you determine the vehicle to be traveling in excess of the posted speed limit. After a brief two-mile traffic pursuit, the vehicle pulls into a hospital emergency room ambulance bay. The male driver exits the vehicle with his arms raised in the air and begins shouting at you and your partner. A female passenger then exits the vehicle, also with her arms raised. She yells that her water broke and that she is in active labor and needs to get into the hospital. What step do you take next? How do you address the situation?
Possible next steps:
- Arrest the male driver for reckless driving, fleeing, and eluding, which means he will miss the birth of his child.
- Issue a warning to the male driver and get medical personnel to address the female passenger.
- Issue traffic citations to the male driver and get medical personnel to address the female passenger.
- Escort the couple into the hospital and do nothing regarding traffic violations/pursuit.
1. Explain what it means to exercise discretion and the role it plays in the criminal justice field.
2. Describe the roles integrity, authority, discretionary power, and morality play in discretionary decision making.
- What is the relationship between integrity, authority, and discretionary power?
- What is the difference between ethics and morals, and how does each affect discretionary decision making?
3. Summarize the actions taken in response to the provided discretionary dilemma.
- What discretionary decision did you make for the provided scenario?
- Why did you make the decision?
4. Explain how integrity, authority, discretionary power, and morality affected the decision you made.
- What role did integrity, authority, and discretionary power play in the decision you made?
- How did ethics and morals influence your decision in this scenario?
5. Explain how decisions in law enforcement affect discretionary decisions made in courts and corrections.
- If you choose to summons or arrest the male driver, how might the court react once the circumstances are known?
- What discretionary decisions may be made in court?
- How could the decisions made in court potentially affect corrections?