Pros and Cons of Police Gratuities - Essay Example

Pros and Cons of Police Gratuities For a long period, the topic of police gratuities has challenged many people. Further evaluations on ethical grounds, moral grounds, and law guidelines to police gratuities can give the necessary answers to allow the practice or not. Police gratuities are gifts, discounts, and favours offered to police officers by members of the public. This paper discusses the pros and cons of giving gratuities to the police.ConsFirst, provisions of gratuities to police officers lead them to become corrupt.

According to Sherman’s theory of “Slippery floor” as quoted on clear water police website, “Acceptance of gratuities lead to acceptance of bribes, which lead to acceptance of payoffs and so on” (Andrews web). This means that gratuities in the police force are for favours, called for now or later. Secondly, issuing gratuities to police officers is a way of seeking preferential treatment. Newburn argues that businesses that offer gratuities are in essence encouraging greater police presence near their business (Newburn 10)Additionally, gratuities are a form of temptation to many officers.

An officer who is used to a free lunch at a kiosk is easy to manipulate, to accept a bribe disguised as gratuity. Furthermore, once officers are used to gratuities, they take it as an obligation of members of the public to give it before they can receive the services. This in turn becomes a habit and only a few who can afford to pay receive the services. Acceptance of gratuities imposes a sense of obligation to the officer accepting the gratuity. Therefore, the officer bears the obligation to deliver request for service or favour.

Gratuities also expose officers to biased judgment since they are likely to treat the members of the public who give them gratuities with favour. ProsFirstly, police work involves a lot of risk. According to Martin, “In police work, results are measured in such terms as the number of arrests and amount of weapons and drugs recovered” (Martin web). These risk activities carried out by police officers calls for a form of appreciation in form of gratuity, at least to appreciate their hard work.

Secondly, it is a form of appreciation for service offered besides their line of duty. For example, an appreciation after offering services where two vehicles had an accident qualifies as a gratuity. It is rude for a police officer to refuse an appreciation by the parties.Thirdly, it can be argued that gratuities are so small to cultivate any favour. Offering a cup of coffee to a police officer on a rainy day is a normal appreciation for their work. Additionally, the fact that some gratuities are officially offered by some companies show that they are genuine and no sense of personal responsibility can result.

Lastly, it is an already accepted culture in the police forces and any attempt to end it would lead to displeasure. Police officers are entrusted to perform their work with discretion and trust. Since it is one of their policies to take gratuities, prohibiting the same will mean that the officers cannot make proper judgement and that they cannot be trusted. In conclusion, gratuities should be allowed. Works CitedAndrews, Wayne. “Police Gratuities, Public Perception after September 11, 2001.

” My clear water.com. 2004. Web, 19 March 2012. Newburn, Time. “Understanding and preventing police corruption: lessons from the literature.” Police Research Series. Web, 17 March 2012. Martin, Rich. “Police Corruption an Analytical Look into Police Ethics.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation. 2011. Web, 19 March 2012. < http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/law-enforcement-bulletin/may_2011/law_enforcement_professionalism>