Police Deviance

The Deviant Few

• Why spend so much time focusing on “bad cops?”

Deviance in Context

• Uniquely stressful work environment

• Participate in closed social system

The Cop Code

• Watch out for partners

• Never “give up” another cop

• Be aggressive

• Blue wall of silence

Over-Enthusiastic Policing

• Going beyond the law to achieve goals of law enforcement

• “Dirty Harry Problem” / “Alonzo Harris Problem”

• Racial Profiling: Driving while Black (DWB), Flying while Muslim (FWM)

• Pretextual Stops: Whren vs. United States

Excessive Force

• Physical coercion is part of policing

• “War on crime” mentality

• 1033 Program

Corruption

• Mooching: Receiving gratuities

• Common police gratuities include: Free coffee, discounted or free meals, half-price dry cleaning

• Graft: Any exploitation of one’s role like bribery or kickbacks

• Professional Courtesy: Not ticketing fellow officers; ticket “fixing” deemed worse

Individual Explanations 

• “Rotten Apple” argument; Deviant before hiring or developed after employment

Societal Explanations

• If the public believes crime control is more important than due process, police will act on that message

Reducing Police Corruption

• Increase pay

• Eliminate unenforceable laws

• Establish civilian review boards

• Improve training

• Set realistic goals

• Provide whistle blowing procedure

• Improve internal affairs

• Rotate staff in some positions

• Dash cameras and body cameras

• Survey research

• Recruiting women and officers of color

• Federal oversight

• Civil lawsuits; Qualified Immunity

• Challenges: DA’s hesitant to file charges against officers, juries often unwilling to convict, police unions