CRJ 390 Moral and Ethical Challenges in Law Enforcement
This course addresses the critical issue of police ethics from a Catholic- Christian perspective. A central theme of this course involves the applying traditional moral reasoning to police practice, from police officers on the street to the chief executives of the law enforcement agencies. Police officers adopt a “noble cause” perspective of policing but can fall victim to the ends justify the means mentality. Because of this moral laxity, corruption often overtakes the police personality and the respective department. A major focus of the course will be examining how Catholic teaching based on the natural law can be a method for police officers to avoid corruption and develop a moral and ethical vision of policing that is consistent with moral tradition as well as the legal and constitutional expectations of American policing.