Despite there being a high level of ethics reinforced in the Pasadena California Police Department (PCPD) culture, there are a number of major ethical issues I see for the PCPD. Two of the biggest ethical allegations against the force that have eroded the confidence of many citizens, especially those among the city's significant minority populations, are charges of racism and excessive brutality against minorities. These challenges have polarized the community in the wake of some widely publicized shooting deaths of minority suspects. These ethical challenges imply the need for leaders to take a stronger stand against racism and excessive force by various methods. A conclusion will discuss these methods.
The Pasadena California Police Department (PCPD) promotes ethical behavior as the "cornerstone of public trust" and that, for any police department to maintain such trust it must "constantly demonstrate that its partnership with the community will be fair, objective and securely rooted in consistently applied ethical principals" (Pasadena, 2009, p. 1). A manifesto of ethical conduct known as the "Pasadena Way" provides all officer with the "expected treatment" and "service" to the community (Pasadena, 2009, p. 1). Despite this, recent widely publicized incidents of alleged police racism and use of excessive force against minorities have eroded the maintenance of public trust.
One incident that has eroded public trust demonstrates the growing allegations among the city's numerous minority populations of racism and the use of excessive force by police officers. In February police shot and killed Leroy Barnes during a routine traffic violation. Lee and Hong (2009) report that the "shooting marked the third time in Pasadena police have shot and killed people since January" (p. 2). The man's mother was found lying in the middle of the street and resisted police who tried to carry her away. Barnes is...