Assignment:
Instructions
Your readings this week provided you with a review of the union culture within criminal justice and public employee contexts will give you some understanding of what you might face as an administrator in collective bargaining states. Certainly, there are nuances of the political culture inside of a police agency as the drama of misconduct unfolds along with one of the very first things mentioned about group behavior - that members have personal beliefs, values, and needs. Knowing who your stakeholders are and what they need is key to navigating some of the emerging issues today in criminal justice. To cut your teeth on solving such matters, begin by doing what most administrators do in their career - draft an email.
Assignment
Your department currently maintains a 460-page policy and procedure manual. Contained within it is a Canon of Ethics which, among other things, calls for officers to be professional, of the utmost integrity, and truthful. Also contained within the policy manual is a section following each standard that outlines a sanction. Specifically relating to deception is the statement "...should a count of untruthfulness, deception, or lying be founded against the member, the Department may suspend the member from service up to and including termination." Because this is a collective bargaining state, it would be considered an economic loss and can be contested. Moreover, throughout many speeches at in-service training, the Chief and other administrators have highlighted truthfulness as the hallmark to professionalism in criminal justice. In these speeches, they called for the termination of any officer that would lie during the course of their duties.
Late last week, one of your internal affairs investigators told you that they were contacted by another police agency that was investigating their officer accused of sexual assault. The victim in that case told investigators that their officer was not the only person she was seeing at the time. The victim in this case told them that she was currently dating your officer (Patrolman Jones) and that she admitted Jones would visit her while he was on-duty. During those times, she and Jones would have sex. The victim described each of these contacts with Jones as consensual. Jones is married with two children. When your internal affairs investigators contact the victim, she outlines dates and times when Jones was at her apartment. The investigation reveals that Jones never failed to respond to a call. However, when Jones was at the victim's apartment and called on the radio for his whereabouts, Jones lied and told the dispatcher he was somewhere else.
Jones was called to the station along with his union representative where he was read his Garrity Warning. When Jones was confronted by investigators from internal affairs with this evidence, he admitted being at her apartment and even admitted to having sex with her on-duty. Furthermore, he admitted to lying about his whereabouts on the police radio to dispatch. You relieve Jones of his sidearm, his badge, and ID Card (access to facilities) and explain to him that you will seek termination and decertification. Jones is a 15-year officer with an exemplary record having been decorated twice: once for life saving and another for valor. He has had no previous complaints (founded or unfounded).
Draft (acting as an administrator) an email response to a union representative who, in their email to you, challenges your intention to terminate Jones claiming that the Department has not engaged in progressive discipline. The union representative claims that Jones is not guilty of lying about a material fact and that he never placed anyone or any officer in peril. In your email, break down the rationale for your decision to seek termination to include ethical considerations, community standards, legal implications, and Department morale. If you should reconsider your previous intention of seeking termination and decertification and subsequently agree with the union representative, then provide your rationale for doing so.
You may draft this email in a Word document, and then submit it in that format.
Length: 2 to 3 pages
References: You may use references. However, most emails do not include citations. It is not necessary.
Your email should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect a personal voice. Please feel free to use first person making sure that your thoughts are accurately projected as if you and the representative were sitting in your office. Be sure, however, to adhere to Northcentral University's Academic Integrity Policy. Review NCU's Academic Integrity Tutorial to refresh your knowledge of how to achieve academic integrity.