Introduction
Police is a powerful law enforcement organization that can influence citizens and regulate their decisions to prioritize legitimation and government. The ability to intervene provides police officers with the opportunity to make the world a safer place, but sometimes they misuse the given domination. It leads police to corruption, the act of misconduct for personal benefits. In the United States, the most common acts of this power abuse are bribery, extortion, and utilization of seized objects like drugs and other goods (Getty 2018). Corruption is being strictly punished with multiple measures that differ among the states.
The state to examine the level of police integrity and corruption chosen for this research is California. This state has high diversity among citizens and laws different from most other parts of the U.S. Law enforcement in cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco discovers pressure from the government and citizens to make decisions or operate in extreme conditions (Salame 2020). The research thesis is that police corruption in California depends on the work and social environment of police officers.
Police Corruption Cases in California
It is necessary to analyze California’s police misconduct cases to explore the reasons and regulations of corruption in the state. One of the most discussed episodes of lost trust to a policeman due to the act of bribery took place at Santa Clara. In 2018, the city’s County Sheriff James Jensen and his team received $90,000 from a politician in exchange for several concealed-carry weapon permits (Salonga and Gartrell 2020). The number of such permits is low in Santa Clara; therefore, the actions of the Sheriff Department draw the attention of the government and led to the investigation of the case and further court hearings. Bribery in California is regulated by the district’s Penal codes 67 and 68, divided according to the involved: executive and ministerial officers, public employees, legislative officers, supervisors, public corporations, judicial officers, and witnesses (California Office of Legislative Counsel, 2019). Police officers are considered general officers, and according to the Penal Code 67 PC statutes, they will be sentenced to four years in jail for corruption (California Office of Legislative Counsel, 2019). The judge can also issue a fine as a penalty for bribery cases.
Extortion is another type of corruption that can be performed by police due to their authority. Former Los Angeles police officer Danny Reedy was sued in January 2020 as the prosecutors filed extortion cases during the duty (Hutchinson 2019). The case included inappropriate weapon charges the officer took and the requests to get paid under the color of authority. Police officers might apply extortion while requesting the fees for the actions that should not be paid for or by forcing someone’s actions by pushing the authority. Extortion is determined and regulated by the California Penal Codes 518, 522, and 523 that define the crime as acts with the use of force aimed at obtaining money or property under the color of authority (California Office of Legislative Counsel, 2019). The punishment for extortion can be imprisonment, fines, or both of the measures depending on the judicial decision.
The Reasons of Corruption among the Police
The corruption among law enforcement, especially the financial types such as bribery, might occur due to the low salaries of police officers or the severe environment in Police Departments. In 2020, the average salary of police officers in California is $101.380, and it is the country’s highest payment (US News 2020). However, it is essential to consider that life in California is more expensive than the average. If money is not the crucial factor, then many employees and the overall environment can lead a police officer to acts of corruption. They can gain a competitive advantage or receive privileges from the political structure of a state. The example of Santa Clara County sheriff Jensen explains how the relationship between the policymakers and police officers can be built with corruptive actions.
Moreover, police misconduct can also have psychological or psychosocial reasons. Police officers might perform the actions of extortion or violence due to the psychological traumas during the duty (Salame 2020). Furthermore, social pressure on the US police increases due to cases such as the murder of George Floyd by the policeman. Today, police representatives have to deal with prejudice and misunderstanding of their actions in most states, including California, where diverse citizens make the most of their rights.
Law Regulation of Police Corruption
The US Department of Justice regulates police misconduct via the operations of the Civil Rights Division. The US Code’s paragraph 242 requires the government to provide material evidence of corruptive actions and to prove that the law enforcement representative knew that their activities are illegal (The U.S. Code 2020). In California, the Department of Justice establishes arrest and prosecution measures for police misconduct and provides the citizens with the place to reach out for committing a crime. The Civil Rights Enforcement Section of the Department is responsible for police practices and investigation of misconduct.
Conclusion
The misconduct of law enforcement is a problem that requires in-depth research for the reasons and motives of the actions. Police officers must be appropriately educated to value integrity and their civil mission to prevent corruption during uncertain times or difficult situations. Moreover, the ability to report the pressure from society or the timely discovery of traumas can help maintain an excellent environment for police so that the need for illegal steps disappears.
The corruption cases, laws, and data about the police of California revealed that the state’s police officers’ misconduct takes place for several reasons. The integrity level of police officers decreases if society treats their duty with prejudice and a lack of respect. Moreover, corruptive actions occur when the politicians involve in bribery cases for their benefit. The analysis of the information proves that police corruption in California depends on the work and social environment of police officers.
References
California Office of Legislative Counsel. 2019. “The Penal Code of California”. Part 1.
Getty, Ryan M. 2018. “Police Corruption: Preventing Misconduct and Maintaining Integrity.” Police Practice and Research 19 (6): 620-621.
Hutchinson, Bill. 2019. “LAPD Detective Alleges Colleague Extorted Her with ‘Revenge Porn’.” ABC News.
Salame, Carolina. 2020. “Corruption Within the Police Force.” Silicon Valley Sociological Review 18 (1): 37-44.
Salonga, Robert, and Nate Gartrell. 2020. “Ex-CEO of Security Firm Pleads Guilty in Santa Clara County Gun-Permit Bribery Case.” Mercury News. Web.
The United States of America. The U.S. Code. 2020. “Crimes and Criminal Procedure”. Section 242.
US News. 2020. “How Much Does a Patrol Officer Make?” US News. Web.