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JonLP24

(29,346 posts)
48. Noble cause corruption is very common though
Wed Sep 2, 2015, 05:20 PM
Sep 2015

This is the whole bad apples fails to address because one would have to an authoritarian mindset to be a cop (me personally I have no interest in contributing to the nation's massive incarceration rate) so in situations where 'noble cause corruption' occurs they think they are the good apples that have to bend the rules to put this guy their cop 6th sense knows in guilty by testilying or doing this or that. I've seen The Wire, even Lester Freemen ends up running an illegal wiretap but he could get a legal wiretap though but the city cut funding for police, bad morale due to deficits related to the schools.

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hat Is Noble Cause Corruption?
Noble cause corruption in policing is defined as "corruption committed in the name of good ends, corruption that happens when police officers care too much about their work. It is corruption committed in order to get the bad guys off the streets…the corruption of police power, when officers do bad things because they believe that the outcomes will be good."2 Examples of noble cause corruption are, planting or fabricating evidence, lying on reports or in court, and generally abusing police authority to make a charge stick.

The policing profession attracts, among others, a certain type of individual: authoritative and responsible, one with leadership skills, who acts on behalf of others, with a high disregard for his or her own well being. Some academics suggest police applicants have a preconception of the profession-the noble cause-that makes them stand out as promising prospects. This preconceived notion is a profound moral commitment to make the world safer.3

Police corruption, traditionally, has been defined as the following:

"a misuse of authority by a police officer for personal gain,"4

"accepting money or money's worth to provide a service they are duty bound to provide,"5 or

"physical, psychological or legal abuse used by police."6

A recent survey demonstrated that officers felt corruption for personal gain was a much more serious charge than engaging in corrupt behavior that appears "to benefit society at large."7 This sub cultural value system rationalizes constitutional rights violations.

Officers do not normally define "a bending of the rules for a greater good" as misconduct or as corruption; rather, they rationalize that such behavior is part of the job description, in a utilitarian sense, to get the criminals off the streets, regardless of the means.8

<snip>

The Rationalization Defense
Shortcuts taken in police procedures and investigations in everyday misdemeanor arrests are a large part of noble cause corruption. Rationalizations, such as the "citizen is so drunk he won't remember what happened," may lead to officers' skipping the field sobriety tests or the breath tests, while reporting that they were performed. Before performing a breath alcohol test, officers must read specific constitutional rights to the citizen informing him or her of his or her right to refuse the test and informing the citizen that this refusal, alone, may result in a suspended driver's license. Testimony affirming that specific police procedures were followed, when they were not, is a police crime, especially when confronted with probable cause issues in pretrial motions.

Additionally, the "contempt of cop" or "it's my word against his" attitude opens the door for further shortcuts and constitutional violations. An officer may perform a valid traffic stop, but if the citizen is belligerent or disrespectful, chances are that person is going to jail. In this same vein, officers may issue "sewer tickets"-that is, write a ticket but instead of giving it to the citizen throw it in the sewer-causing a failure to appear in court, a warrant to be issued, and several future problems for the citizen.

<snip>

Systemic Arrogance Contributes to Corruption
Arrogance has no place in policing, and agencies that have a culture of arrogance will only foster allegations of organizational tolerance for noble cause corruption and betrayal of the public service philosophy. When officers and administrators believe that the ends justify their means, such as illegal searches, "articulation" in report writing, illegal arrests and "testilying," they corrupt their own system.9

Noble cause corruption is rooted in this sense of arrogance, in which officers will rationalize constitutional violations for their own perceived greater good: a safer community. Middle managers, then, engage in a supervisory logic of good faith based on the belief that subordinates always tell the truth and follow the law as their training dictates.10

When internal red flags surface-such as multiple citizen complaints for one officer, or subordinates who ask not to have to work with that officer for no specified reason-supervisors must look deeper into the reasons for this sudden turn of events. It may be personal in nature, but it is the duty of the supervisor to make reasonable inquiries into the cause.

<snip>

Supervisory Cowardice Contributes to Corruption
Along with arrogance, police supervisory cowardice reinforces organizational tolerance of noble cause corruption. Cowardice in this sense is the inability of supervisors to make the difficult administrative decisions that relate to subordinate misconduct.12 Police administrators must struggle with misconduct cases and weigh the pros and cons of the appropriate disciplinary actions. Chiefs must openly investigate allegations of scandal or politically motivated police actions and disregard their own occupational survival in this role.

Favoritism, nepotism, political concerns, or image preservation must not prevent the chief from thoroughly investigating and disciplining officers for policy violations. Impossible conflicts of interest arise in policing every day, and professional police administrators must adhere to a predetermined set of guidelines and decision-making processes to best serve their community and their agencies. Allegations of departmental cover-ups are immediately followed with calls for external investigations, removal of the chief, and massive reform.

http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&article_id=1025&issue_id=102006

Watch the last part of this documentary on what NYPD brass cops did coming into the home of the whistle-blower cop and the whole reason the cops were doing what they were doing because of what was trickling down from the Mayor's office.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-the-nypd-abused-citizens-in-the-name-of-data-and-how-one-cop-exposed-it-all/

People are very naive that most people wouldn't approve of certain things this or that but they aren't willing to risk a loss of career, being deemed EDP because you were blowing the whistle, just don't minimize or deny others experiences and events or allowing this sort of thing to become expanded, enabling the cops, prosecutors, whoever to get away with this behavior because the public trusts. "Testilying".

How The NYPD Abused Citizens In The Name Of Data, And How One Cop Exposed It

By FiveThirtyEight

Exposing police misconduct can be risky, even for a cop.

“Crime By The Numbers,” a short documentary directed by Don Argott for FiveThirtyEight and ESPN Films’ Signals series, tells the story of Adrian Schoolcraft. Schoolcraft, as a New York Police Department officer, blew the whistle on the NYPD’s abuse and misuse of CompStat, a system to track crime trends in New York City.
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-the-nypd-abused-citizens-in-the-name-of-data-and-how-one-cop-exposed-it-all/

Watch the end what they did going into his home, watch it.,

When cops start going to jail for killing people? Erich Bloodaxe BSN Sep 2015 #1
What would your best guess be? nt clarice Sep 2015 #18
That was my question as well. Why are you playing coy? Are you dismayed more by one than the other? Ed Suspicious Sep 2015 #62
*bats eyes coyly*.... Huh? clarice Sep 2015 #65
Oh you're really clever. I don't have time for this. Enjoy your thread. Ed Suspicious Sep 2015 #68
I AM...... Glad that you enjoyed it too. peace. out. nt clarice Sep 2015 #77
So you are confirming that the latest cop killings were whathehell Sep 2015 #92
"The latest cop killings"...? Stellar Sep 2015 #166
IMO not all cops are bad. I think they need to get rid of bad apples, top to bottom, but RKP5637 Sep 2015 #2
My only complaint about the good cops is TexasProgresive Sep 2015 #5
Yes, that does seem to happen. nt clarice Sep 2015 #17
Did you ever consider that if that "does seem to happen" whathehell Sep 2015 #69
Also, sometimes, I think the superiors are as bad as the bad cops, so the good cops get caught RKP5637 Sep 2015 #20
The thin blue line is toxic. Gormy Cuss Sep 2015 #103
There are over 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers in the USA branford Sep 2015 #28
Exactly!!! n/t RKP5637 Sep 2015 #29
Hot Damn !!!!!! Another intelligent response. Thanks Bran (no sarcasm) clarice Sep 2015 #38
I do not tolerate broad and unflattering generalizations and stereotyping of large diverse groups, branford Sep 2015 #41
Goodness ...... you ARE a smart cookie. nt clarice Sep 2015 #44
Noble cause corruption is very common though JonLP24 Sep 2015 #48
Replace policeman with politician, and you're right on the money. nt clarice Sep 2015 #61
All you've done is provide a lengthy explanation of why some officers branford Sep 2015 #72
The problem is that these bad apples carry guns and the authority inherent in the badge, so when Ed Suspicious Sep 2015 #66
So do the criminals....but no badge....what standard should they be held to?. nt clarice Sep 2015 #80
I guess that standard imposed by law, but they're criminals, so they seem to Ed Suspicious Sep 2015 #90
Gladly.... clarice Sep 2015 #96
Absolutely nothing I wrote implied that corruption or incompetence should not be addressed, branford Sep 2015 #93
how many of those 900,000 have turned in one of their own for punching/kick/faking a 'traffic stop'? Sunlei Sep 2015 #118
Actually it happens more often than not and usually goes under-reported... Historic NY Sep 2015 #127
That's like asking why moderate Muslims don't stop terrorist attacks branford Sep 2015 #133
Our police and the entire criminal Justice system have a long way to go to dig out of the hole. Sunlei Sep 2015 #135
That not really correct. branford Sep 2015 #139
We have a right to observe our gov employees at work, federal and local. Sunlei Sep 2015 #140
Well said! n/t justhanginon Sep 2015 #136
When this country isn't saturated with unregistered guns nt geek tragedy Sep 2015 #3
How would gun registration help? Snobblevitch Sep 2015 #32
guns would be circulated a lot less carelessly. geek tragedy Sep 2015 #37
I'm in favor of UBCs, Snobblevitch Sep 2015 #121
Snob...Don't even try....you're butting your head against a steel post. lo.l nt. clarice Sep 2015 #39
Having less than 320 million guns around would indeed help a lot. Fred Sanders Sep 2015 #101
When cops stop shooting each other,,maybe marym625 Sep 2015 #4
How so? nt clarice Sep 2015 #12
Did the Cliven Bundy gang strike again? RandiFan1290 Sep 2015 #6
Preliminary 2015 Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities data Make7 Sep 2015 #7
Good find. nt clarice Sep 2015 #15
These statistics also include canine officers. herding cats Sep 2015 #25
Hmm seatbelt use is a problem among officers nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #47
According to FBI statistics ... surrealAmerican Sep 2015 #8
When scumbags stop being scumbags... ileus Sep 2015 #9
correct answer. nt clarice Sep 2015 #16
So all cops deserve to be killed because some are scumbags? whathehell Sep 2015 #124
No....scumbags being the people that shoot our LEO's. ileus Sep 2015 #146
Got it. n/t whathehell Sep 2015 #157
Is this supposed to be Proud Liberal Dem Sep 2015 #10
Why would you think that ? nt clarice Sep 2015 #13
Is there an epidemic of police officer killings I am unaware of? Proud Liberal Dem Sep 2015 #26
Yes, it seems so. Or maybe it's just my perception....you see clarice Sep 2015 #35
Annnndd, it seems your perception is wrong. truebluegreen Sep 2015 #129
There's been two in the last ten days.. whathehell Sep 2015 #159
It's perfectly liberal to be anti-murder Bucky Sep 2015 #52
I just thought that OP was possibly mocking Fox Proud Liberal Dem Sep 2015 #54
This guy gets it. Do you, Clarice? Ed Suspicious Sep 2015 #95
No one here thinks they should be shot? branford Sep 2015 #107
Sounds like some are gloating about it...Sick, ugly stuff. whathehell Sep 2015 #158
"The highest rate increase of (occupational) casualty occurred in private construction." Starry Messenger Sep 2015 #11
Very interesting. nt clarice Sep 2015 #14
When are these on the job deaths of Lumberjacks going to end?!? A HERETIC I AM Sep 2015 #19
when more spotted owls are born lame54 Sep 2015 #31
Wait, it's safer to be a cop than an electrical power line installer? louis-t Sep 2015 #42
Having worked in construction for many years, padfun Sep 2015 #97
Yeah TeddyR Sep 2015 #111
So? Be offended. A HERETIC I AM Sep 2015 #143
Um, when their deaths are caused by murder, maybe? whathehell Sep 2015 #160
This message was self-deleted by its author A HERETIC I AM Sep 2015 #161
Post removed Post removed Sep 2015 #162
Why the quotes around your misspelling there, Skippy? A HERETIC I AM Sep 2015 #163
IIt was YOUR misspelling -- I just wanted to quote you exactly! whathehell Sep 2015 #164
Check it again, scooter. A HERETIC I AM Sep 2015 #165
LOL whathehell Sep 2015 #168
This message was self-deleted by its author Go Vols Sep 2015 #21
Unbelievable. nt clarice Sep 2015 #45
I'll ask one of the McKinney officers at the next pool party. LanternWaste Sep 2015 #22
Too all concerned....don't be fooled. Lanternwaste also posts as Creekdog and KCR. FYI. nt clarice Sep 2015 #49
If you feel better about yourself by alleging so LanternWaste Sep 2015 #55
It's repeat subject line guy! nt Logical Sep 2015 #74
Your irrelevance is consistent. LanternWaste Sep 2015 #78
And my stalker! nt Logical Sep 2015 #81
Yet who responded to whom? LanternWaste Sep 2015 #88
LOL. Your slip is showing. Starry Messenger Sep 2015 #71
Slip this. nt clarice Sep 2015 #73
Slip what clarice? Starry Messenger Sep 2015 #82
Freudian slip, maybe? LanternWaste Sep 2015 #75
Funniest post on DU today. Gormy Cuss Sep 2015 #108
He does? CreekDog Sep 2015 #120
That really pisses me off CreekDog Sep 2015 #123
Sleep it off RandiFan1290 Sep 2015 #138
I heard that Obama changed "McKinney officers" to "Denali officers." Orrex Sep 2015 #167
This message was self-deleted by its author LiberalArkie Sep 2015 #23
Don't know what your point is, looks like gun deaths have gone down. Kingofalldems Sep 2015 #24
This message was self-deleted by its author LiberalArkie Sep 2015 #110
Where did I say that? Kingofalldems Sep 2015 #113
Shameful. nt clarice Sep 2015 #50
So your opinion is that it's payback? Wow. whathehell Sep 2015 #119
Never? Cops get killed on the job. Since the days of the first LEO. Rex Sep 2015 #27
are you counting suicides? lame54 Sep 2015 #30
Sounds as if you've fallen victim to the rightwing trope? Officer killings are down. n/t Tarheel_Dem Sep 2015 #33
Shame on you for politicizing such a serious issue. nt clarice Sep 2015 #46
Funny, I thought the same thing of you. Why not ask the killers? Or do you think they post at DU? Tarheel_Dem Sep 2015 #117
This won't answer your question; but, I ... 1StrongBlackMan Sep 2015 #34
Thank goodness !!!! An intelligent response. Appreciate it. nt clarice Sep 2015 #36
To further my thought ... 1StrongBlackMan Sep 2015 #40
I think that they do have a review process through Internal Affairs....... clarice Sep 2015 #43
One thing about this "vast majority of officers" that isn't mentioned. A HERETIC I AM Sep 2015 #56
What a sweeping, stupid generalization. If you are a Liberal, you don't stereotype. nt clarice Sep 2015 #59
Bullshit. A HERETIC I AM Sep 2015 #84
What other groups are you comfortable in stereotyping? just curious. nt clarice Sep 2015 #86
Certain DU posters, for one. n/t A HERETIC I AM Sep 2015 #102
IRS workers? CreekDog Sep 2015 #147
"The idea that most cops are good is nonsense because if it was true, there would be no bad cops." Snobblevitch Sep 2015 #141
Wow TeddyR Sep 2015 #114
Define "dangerous" A HERETIC I AM Sep 2015 #125
You've made a great many sweeping allegations about law enforcement generally branford Sep 2015 #134
Ahhhhh yes....those 900,000+ valiant boys in blue. A HERETIC I AM Sep 2015 #145
You are free to disagree with my purported "perceptions" (i.e., not stereotyping). branford Sep 2015 #148
Go ahead and wait. A HERETIC I AM Sep 2015 #150
thank you Bucky Sep 2015 #53
+1 treestar Sep 2015 #169
probably will get worse as our society has imprisoned so many millions & destroyed so many families. Sunlei Sep 2015 #51
I would add that the criminals have to change also. nt clarice Sep 2015 #58
what criminals? Of course people should know it's not right to hurt or kill anyone. It is a crime. Sunlei Sep 2015 #115
Killings of Police Officers is Way Down Under Obama Z_California Sep 2015 #57
When the IRS starts kissing your ass, I guess. REP Sep 2015 #60
Post removed Post removed Sep 2015 #63
So why are you here? Ran out of cool stories? REP Sep 2015 #64
Just to piss you off. nt clarice Sep 2015 #67
Something else you fail at. Like spelling. Or cool stories. REP Sep 2015 #70
You are dismissed. Go do your homework. nt clarice Sep 2015 #76
You're not very good at this, are you. REP Sep 2015 #79
Good enough so that everyone else here is laughing at you. My work here is done. nt clarice Sep 2015 #85
Won't get better on either side - police or "civilian" - until we do something about gunz. eom Hoyt Sep 2015 #83
Agreed...especially getting them out of the criminals hands.nt clarice Sep 2015 #91
Some of these responses are contemptible. tymorial Sep 2015 #87
Bravo. nt clarice Sep 2015 #89
I would hope your post is not alerted on, much less hidden. Too many shooting period in our country. Hoyt Sep 2015 #100
Thank you +100 840high Sep 2015 #144
Post removed Post removed Sep 2015 #94
Thank you for your thoughtfulness. Please confine your vitriol to the subject at hand.nt clarice Sep 2015 #98
Vitriol, that's such a big word for you! Nice job! Starry Messenger Sep 2015 #105
... PETRUS Sep 2015 #172
Can you please explain the non-thinking that led you to say that Lanternwaste uses my account? CreekDog Sep 2015 #122
Looks like republican opinions to me. Kingofalldems Sep 2015 #99
And trolling. Starry Messenger Sep 2015 #109
And this person complained of being looked down on because of his "bright, optimistic attitude" betsuni Sep 2015 #151
I can see that my point here is made...... time for quail breasts and a nice Avignon.... clarice Sep 2015 #104
Do you think BLM is a hate group? Kingofalldems Sep 2015 #106
Why is that relevant? TeddyR Sep 2015 #116
You're having a town in France? REP Sep 2015 #152
One must have oppasable thumbs to be able to dine on quail breasts and French towns. betsuni Sep 2015 #171
You're framing the murder of thesr men as a sarcastic joke? whathehell Sep 2015 #112
Sad when anyone is killed by gunfire damnedifIknow Sep 2015 #126
Do you have a link to a thread you started entitled "When is the killing of Black people by police randys1 Sep 2015 #128
Officer deaths are down 13 percent over last year Android3.14 Sep 2015 #130
I bet you're one of those "All Lives Matter" people. nt LexVegas Sep 2015 #131
I hope it end today, and at the same time... Stellar Sep 2015 #132
When they outlaw guns! B Calm Sep 2015 #137
People killing cops, cops killing innocent people, both are tragic Marrah_G Sep 2015 #142
When limbic brained questions are replaced with real dialogue? MrMickeysMom Sep 2015 #149
It is called blow back YabaDabaNoDinoNo Sep 2015 #153
The solution is simple. ZombieHorde Sep 2015 #154
There's been a homicide spike this summer. It's not clear why Recursion Sep 2015 #155
When the good cops start killing the bad cop SoLeftIAmRight Sep 2015 #156
just an exteniton of stand your ground dembotoz Sep 2015 #170
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