Police on the Dark Side Essay

unity nominate say that corruption, misconduct, and brutality are issues that exist in police agencies across the country. With strength comes responsibility, which is a trait that he or she would assume that every ships officer would have, but with an undisciplined sagacity power and authority can be terribly abused. Police corruption can be defined as acts involving the misuse of authority by a police officer in a manner intentional to produce personal gain for him or for others(Walker & Katz, Chapter 13 Police depravation, 2011).Though a police officer is paid fairly decent, there is much temptation to entice an officer in becoming corrupt. With a given scenario, hands full of officers have a warrant to enter a house hazard of possessing drugs. During search and seizure over a half million dollars is discovered along with 10 kilos of Cocaine. A responsible officer turns in every last dollar and ounce of drugs, Where in when the in the mind of a corrupted officer he or she see it fit to partially to submit evidence, facial expression at his or her own person gain in the situation.At this point it is an inordinate social occasion of misconduct at hand where the officer is behaving in an improper or unprofessional manner. As I stated before an officer is paid fairly decent, I can also argue that in some agencies officers are underpaid and overworked. This sometimes causes the officer to be more reluctant in conforming into a corrupt individual. In 2009 four officers of the clams police were charged in what was viewd a Special operations Section scandal. When you think about the authority of the police, they are very powerful individuals who are respected by all and are feared by most on the other side of the law.Within operation the theme was accused of making false arrests, committing robberies, and home invasions for several years, acting under the guise of busting street gangs and rounding error up guns (Heinzmann, 2009). This was a high sophis ticated outfit, which involved over a dozen officers with the scandal. Police Corruption and Misconduct are not the only issues that plague agencies across the county. Here, and there are of Police brutality emerge. New Years Day of 2009, BART police respond to a call of hugger-mugger conduct that was taking place on an inbound train pulling into West Oakland.The call was in response to a brawl that had taken place among a 12 intoxicated individuals on the train. Officers transmit several young men from the train and instructed them to all take a seat. Of the passengers, Oscar Grant looks to me in a struggle with officers but from the videos standpoint Oscar seem to be subdued. During the struggle one officer kneels down on top of Oscars neck although another officer is attempting to handcuff him. In a blink of an eye the officer the who was trying to handcuff Oscar takes a half step back draws his portion weapon and fires a single shot into Oscars back.Oscar would later die at t he hospital from his wound. This would be seen as an unscrupulous act of police brutality that had taken place in the city of Oakland. The end in the Special Operations Scandal was the and ring leader at the center of the scandal precedent Chicago police Officer Jerome Finnigan what handed down a twelve year sentence in a federal prison. Needless to say I agree whole heartedly with the verdict based on the fact he was a highly decorated officer who led the departments elect Special Operations Section.This unit amassed a furry that took guns and millions of dollars in drugs out off the streets of Chicago. I believe that Finnigan became a product of the environment he worked in and was consumed with the power bestowed in him. It was also said that he suffered from stress and alcohol abuse. Though was he did was wrong he still severed the people of Chicago well and deserve to see his golden years outside prison. In the case of Oscar Grant, I all in all disagree with the decision of that case.Johannes Mehserle, the officer shot Grant was sentenced to two years in prison for unconscious manslaughter. He was sentenced on Nov. 5, 2010, and after receiving double credit for time already served, was released on June 13, 2011 (Stern, 2013, para. 9). This was a definite of example of failure to critically think under pressure, which result in a loss of life. Those can say it was motivated by hate and racism but on will truly grapple what went on in the mind of this officer that day, but from judging from the videos he did not have the thou light to use lethal force.If were to you take examine the The Force Continuum (Grant & Terry, Chapter 9, 2012). Oscar was only at the Active protection stage that only should have been met with compliance techniques, such as come along holds, pressure points and chemical sprays to disorient him from resisting further. Finnigan should have received no less than a ten sentence because his actions were reckless, irresponsible, and ultimately stop a human life where in most agencies is to preserve it.