Additionally, tactical civility reflects well on officers in video, audio, and in the official report, thereby helping to protect them from complaints and lawsuits. One author stated that civility and tactics go hand in hand, calling it “tactical civility.” He argued that maintaining civility, especially in the face of potentially explosive circumstances, can work to officers’ benefit in that they maintain self-control and disguise their state of preparedness and tactical advantage. Civility is not a sign of weakness, and, properly exercised, it can enhance officer safety. Officers who have appropriate “bedside manner” with citizens avoid many of the verbal and physical hazards prevalent in policing. 4 In policing, the proper use of civility is crucial to overall success. 3 It has been described as a willingness to sacrifice personal desires for the betterment of the community. Having and applying common sense can both solve and prevent problems.Ĭharacteristics of civility-represented by action or inaction-include tolerance, kindness, consideration, and understanding. Officers need to make common sense part of all their decisions and avoid the extremes on either end of the continuum. Effective communication skills constitute the primary difference between officers who can resolve most crisis incidents without physical altercation and those who cannot.Ĭommon sense is “the ability to think and behave in a reasonable way and to make good decisions” and “sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation.” 2 Synonyms, like horse sense and levelheadedness, coupled with related words, such as street smarts and practicality, sum it up. Put another way, in the arena of policing the best overall ammunition is skillful communication. Unfortunately, many officers may focus on mastering the tactical aspects and not the communication skills that often save the day. Clearly, the relationship between the two must be understood. However, officers spend much more time talking to complainants, witnesses, suspects, and the public at large than they do engaging in tactical encounters, although all police contacts involve some degree of proper tactics. In the current environment of policing, with heavy emphasis on tactical maneuvers, officers seldom favor training to sharpen their communication skills. Although writing skills are valuable and warrant examination, officers’ ability to effectively relate face-to-face with community members holds the most importance. Recruiters must focus on applicants’ verbal and nonverbal communication abilities. The legal arena consumes a large portion of the police officer’s work environment, and personnel must be well-versed in appropriate laws. Clearly, new officers have a lot to learn, but veterans seeking a new department should demonstrate thorough legal knowledge. If applicants have attended the basic police academy, they should have solid working knowledge of criminal laws and procedures. Pertinent state laws work hand in hand with the Constitution. Although they may find it challenging, as custodians of the Constitution police officers must respect its boundaries.
Officers should appreciate this fact and conduct themselves accordingly. The Constitution serves as the founding legal document and provides the basic parameters of much of the activity of law enforcement personnel. Police applicants must know and adhere to federal and state laws. 1 In short, personnel must look out for each other. A former deputy chief of the Los Angeles, California, Sheriff’s Office asserted that officers must have the courage to intervene and protect their colleagues from crossing inappropriate boundaries. With a strong sense of ethics, personnel can ensure that their colleagues do not succumb to the pressures of the incident and violate ethical standards. When responding to calls, law enforcement personnel often have backup officers to hold them accountable. Police administrators, managers, supervisors, and, most important, patrol officers should consider the promotion of ethical behavior a top concern.
The pursuit of ethical behavior never ends. They must commit to proper principles and values as guides to their actions and adhere to the Constitution and pertinent statutory laws. Law enforcement personnel must strive to behave ethically-to do the right thing.
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