The law enforcement police have been on the spot in the recent past for misuse of their discretion in policing. Police discretion is the decision-making power that the law gives police officers to decide the best course of action or procedure to take in particular circumstances or situations, most of which involve contact with members of the public, such as in the enforcement of traffic rules. The police usually use discretion to make a decision as to whether to perform a search, draw a weapon, issue a traffic ticket stop and assist someone, and shoot a gun. Some of the discretionary powers wielded by the police are, however, too wide and hence the need to curtail them through police departmental rules and regulations (Banks 76).
Therefore, due to the potential misuse, it is possible and desirable to limit police discretion as one way of promoting ethical practice by the police. According to Banks, one of the ways through which too much discretion by the police may be curtailed or limited is through the use of codes of ethics for police officers. Such codes and other regulations may be used to appropriately reduce instances of the police misuse of force or use of lethal force against suspects which is one of the ways through which police discretion is misused. Moreover, police discretion may be controlled by using negative sanctions for preventing or correcting discretionary behavior (Cox, McCamey, & Scaramella 65).
This step would have the effect of minimizing ethical misconduct by police officers by instilling values and principles in law enforcement officers. Limiting police discretion would also help minimize ethical misconduct by police officers by putting in place ethical norms and standards that would help reduce abuse of power. Limiting police discretion through police culture in law enforcement organizations according to Banks (76) would also help minimize police discretion.
Works Cited
Cox, Steven M., William P. McCamey, and Gene L. Scaramella. Introduction to Policing. SAGE Publications, 2013.
Banks, Cyndi. Criminal Justice Ethics: Theory and Practice. SAGE, 2009.
