Unfairness during the Police Selection Process - Essay Example

Police are agents or agencies empowered to use force and other forms of coercion and legal means to effect public and social order
Police are understood to be committed to encouraging and achieving a working environment that is underpinned by fairness to all individuals, where diversity is recognized, encouraged, and valued and the concept of individual responsibility is accepted by all.
But, things are not always what they appear to be. Corruption has spread its hands everywhere and has engulfed every field. The field of policing too is not untouched by it. Complaints have been received that some officers, who have been selected for this training, may not be suitable for it and that they are here unfairly.

When we talk of fairness during the selection of officers for a special training or course, we come through several aspects which are faced by the selector which binds him to step aside from the path of righteousness and select candidates on a basis other than merit and required attributes.
Fairness is a key process value that is aimed at ensuring that the decisions are made objectively and that practices reflect the just treatment of employees and applicants.

Fairness covers several elements related to selection processes. Officers succumbing to unfairness at the time of selection have various reasons to do so:
• Greed: This is the most common reason for corruption. Cash or kind is generally offered to buy the selector. Money is important to all and everyone wants to be rich. But service is more important than riches. We should know where to draw the line.
• Power: Having power puts you in a position where doing both the right and the wrong is in your hand. You need to utilize the powers entrusted in your hand judiciously. Remember, power also brings with it responsibility.
• Favoritism: The selector can be biased about a certain applicant who is a personal favorite of his. But this is not the time to shower your appreciation. You might be stepping over the right candidate for the job.
• Personal Terms: Relations and relatives are significant to all. But let them know these do not bring you under pressure to select them. Your duty should always come first.
• Political and Bureaucratic Patronage: Believe in yourself and do what is only and only right and then no one can force you to do something which you know is wrong. Do not yield to pressure. It doesn’t pay in the long run. But, this is one reason why you might not be in a position to say in the negative. Find alternate ways.
• Obliging nature: Don’t say yes when you want to say no. Now and then we are stuck in such a position that although we know what is right we are compelled to take the opposite road. The police force is not your entity so do not let your nature come in between the path of your duty.

(Luce, Sally. 2000).
Now, the question that arises is what comes under the term ‘unfairness’. What we might not do to be unfair others may cry foul at it. Employee Survey is one of several instruments used to look at fairness in selection. Perception of fairness at times correlates with other workplace issues.
People who see selection as unfair:
• Lack of confidence in management/transparency
• Experience developmental/career frustrations
• Are unhappy with their supervisor and not as likely to feel
• Feel workplace environment is uncomfortable
• Feel disempowered

How to curb unfairness?
First and foremost what is required is a strong willpower to overlook the perquisites that being unfair brings. The superior officials should keep an eye on the selectors as to how they are handling the selection process. Any attempt toward wrongness should be curtailed with strictness. Police are synonymous with discipline. Where the senior officials are stringent and unambiguous, chances of unjust selection become rare. Also, if the senior officials are approachable to the junior ranks, the juniors will find it easy to talk about their problems with them.
The solution comes with 5 Ps Read More