| Whether or not a military force (or paramilitary force) | | | | ž How prevalent are these behaviours? |
| is properly equipped to handle crisis situations in an | | | | ž Are these behaviours a 'right of passage' |
| ethical manner is a question that is truly worthy of | | | | into a particular unit? |
| consideration. Before asking oneself this question, | | | | ž Are these behaviours an indication of the |
| however, it is imperative that leaders are certain that | | | | 'Three Musketeers' mentality? |
| their organizations are grounded upon a solid, | | | | ž Are these behaviours being condoned or |
| impermeable ethical foundation. Ethical conduct simply | | | | simply ignored?The answers to these questions will |
| cannot be expected within an organization that is | | | | provide some self-evident guidance to police leaders |
| under pressure if it is not expected when the | | | | as to the depth and breadth of the issue within their |
| organization is simply involved in daily, commonplace | | | | organization.Noble Cause CorruptionOften times, the |
| operations.Police services and the military have | | | | noble ideals that motivate men and women to enlist |
| enormous powers conferred upon them by the state. | | | | in a police service are the very same qualities that |
| Each has the ability to restrict or remove individual | | | | motivate them to behave inappropriately. These men |
| liberty and both have the overwhelming and | | | | and women do not act as they do out of some evil |
| unenviable right to use lethal force where necessary. | | | | intent. They do so with the noblest intent. Tragically, |
| These powers are, in large measure, the basis for | | | | these situations often have terribly unhappy |
| citizens' demanding that our organizations are | | | | consequences.We in Canada have had numerous |
| founded on strong ethics, principles and values.In the | | | | examples of this reality; especially since DNA |
| vast majority of cases, especially in days gone by, | | | | technology has arisen as a tool in the detection of |
| the military's focus has been other than domestic. | | | | crime. As we now can see, there have been |
| When they are dispatched to any operational | | | | numerous examples of wrongful convictions, based |
| situation anywhere in the world, including here in | | | | upon the investigations by hard-working, tireless, |
| Canada, they very often become very involved in | | | | honest, dedicated police officers.One need only look |
| the domestic life of that country's citizens, | | | | at Donald Marshall, David Milgaard or Guy Paul Morin |
| however.As time passes and one views the tasking | | | | to see how tragedy has befallen these three men, |
| being given to Canada's military, one can see more | | | | and others, as a result of a steadfast belief in their |
| and more that the role is that of peacekeeper rather | | | | guilt by a host of people within the Criminal Justice |
| than warrior. This reality brings our military and our | | | | System during their investigation, detention and |
| police even closer in terms of roles, responsibilities, | | | | prosecution.In the village of Queensville, Ontario, 8 |
| values, principles and ethics.Some of the | | | | year-old Christine Jessop disappeared. Some time |
| ChallengesThere are some realities within the culture | | | | later, her partially clothed and violated body was |
| of paramilitary organizations that may cause | | | | discovered. It became absolutely imperative that the |
| significant interference with effective communications | | | | person who perpetrated this heinous crime be found |
| both internally and externally. It is incumbent upon the | | | | and brought to justice. In due course, Guy Paul Morin |
| leaders of these organizations to recognize, accept | | | | was arrested and charged with her murder. After a |
| and properly counteract any negative aspects of | | | | series of trials, he was imprisoned for the crime.As |
| their organizational culture.It is not sufficient that a | | | | history and science now tell us, Guy Paul did not do |
| leader possess impeccable values. The leader must | | | | it!As a result of DNA testing, Guy Paul Morin was |
| demonstrate these principles in daily interactions with | | | | acquitted after having spent years in prison. The fact |
| others, and the leader must communicate these | | | | of the matter is that he did not commit the crime |
| values to all employees regularly, consistently and | | | | for which he was incarcerated; yet those involved in |
| unashamedly. There must be a very clear | | | | the investigation of the crime were utterly convinced |
| understanding by each and every member of the | | | | of his guilt.Investigators, investigative supervisors, |
| organization that ethics, values and principles are | | | | forensic scientists, crown attorneys and others held |
| simply non-negotiable.All too frequently, when an | | | | this zealous belief in his guilt. It was only after an |
| individual is discovered to have been involved in | | | | exhaustive public inquiry that all of the details of this |
| unacceptable behaviour, the 'bad apple' theory is held | | | | tragedy were fully explored and finally understood.In |
| up as the answer. A 'bad apple' grows and develops | | | | almost every case, these wrongful convictions can |
| in an environment that either condones or ignores | | | | be attributed, at least in part to 'Noble Cause |
| the early warning signs, or in some cases tacitly | | | | Corruption'. It is, in short, a phenomenon that can |
| approves of the indicative behaviour.The difficulty | | | | best be described as the 'Ends Justifies the |
| with the 'act and react' approach is that it is often | | | | Means'.This is not a phenomenon that exists only in |
| seen by the junior ranks as, at best a witch-hunt or | | | | policing. It can and does exist in any organization that |
| at worst a hollow inquisition with obvious ulterior | | | | values operational goals and/or tasks as indicators of |
| motives. Occasionally, some view the curative | | | | success. There may be, and very likely are examples |
| measures that are imposed as knee-jerk reactions to | | | | of Noble Cause Corruption within the military as |
| isolated incidents. As a result, there are virtually no | | | | well.Police and military personnel are very task |
| long terms benefits realized. Occasionally, such actions | | | | oriented. If they are given a specific goal, they will do |
| can actually have significantly negative | | | | what is necessary to meet or exceed that goal. If |
| consequences.This is not to minimize the general and | | | | the goal is poorly defined, the efforts toward its |
| specific deterrence of swift, impartial action by the | | | | attainment may go awry.In the Guy Paul Morin |
| administration. It is imperative, however, that the | | | | situation, and many others very much like it, the goal |
| organization be alive to any and all signs of larger, | | | | was simple: Catch the bad guy! The missing aspect to |
| more insidious issues and take proactive measures | | | | the goal appears to have been the words 'properly, |
| when and where appropriate.To fully understand how | | | | impartially and justly'.Because of significant pressure |
| misconduct can take place, and more importantly, | | | | from the public, the media and the administration, it |
| how it is sometimes viewed by the transgressor's | | | | became imperative that the individual responsible for |
| peers, it is vitally important to take a close and critical | | | | this atrocity be identified, arrested and prosecuted |
| look at the organizational culture in which the | | | | quickly. Unfortunately, it was the wrong person.Similar |
| misconduct occurred. This examination can take | | | | tragedies can and do occur far too frequently for |
| several forms but the most fruitful may be a | | | | similar reasons. In a rush to judgement, investigators |
| bottom-up, holistic approach.Defining the | | | | and others can develop tunnel vision, impairing their |
| Organizational CultureMilitary and paramilitary | | | | ability to objectively pursue appropriate |
| organizations have, over many years, developed a | | | | suspects.There are other aspects to the |
| culture they can truly call their own. Moreover, units | | | | organizational culture of policing and the military that |
| within these organizations develop subcultures that | | | | bear examination and understanding.In these types of |
| must also be recognized. This is especially true of | | | | organizations, the need to belong is powerful. In |
| specialist or 'elite' units.A good starting point for the | | | | combat or crisis situations, this is an important and |
| analysis of any organization in terms of values, | | | | vital characteristic. The reliance of one upon another |
| principles and ethics can and possibly should begin at | | | | or one upon the unit can and does preserve life. |
| the front lines. This analysis can help to identify the | | | | Perhaps part of the difficulty with this mindset results |
| symptoms of any irregularities within the culture.The | | | | from the values of the warrior permeating |
| Cultural EvolutionActivities and behaviours within a | | | | peacekeeping operations.In these types of |
| particular organizational culture sometimes indicate | | | | organizations, an individual who rejects as |
| values and standards that differ widely from those | | | | unacceptable some piece of the organizational culture |
| outside that culture. This is not peculiar to police or | | | | runs the risk of at best, being ostracized and at |
| the military. Almost every single organization in every | | | | worst, becoming a target of the culture itself. There |
| conceivable sector has it own, individual | | | | are examples of such happenings in many |
| culture.Organizations that tend to have their own | | | | organizations across North America. In far too many |
| 'language'; their own specific identity; their own | | | | cases, the Musketeer Mentality demands that |
| atypical rules; are more susceptible to developing a | | | | everyone stand as one and dare not stand alone.The |
| culture that is some distance from the culture of | | | | Role of AssociationsAnother situation that has |
| mainstream society. The members of the | | | | emerged somewhat recently is the militant position |
| organization often believe that their world is too | | | | assumed by associations. In some cases, associations |
| different, too complex and too onerous for anyone | | | | have minimized their mandate as champions of |
| outside the organization to begin to understand. This | | | | professionalism and have, for reasons known only to |
| belief is the likely foundation of peculiar cultural | | | | them, assumed the mandate of weakening the |
| values.Until quite recently, police services were very | | | | strength or impact of the leader of the service. In |
| definitely apart from society. Although they are | | | | some cases, it has been reported that association |
| sworn to serve and protect society, this sworn duty | | | | leadership has investigated methods used by other |
| was most often performed in the manner decided | | | | militant unions/associations in other jurisdictions. One |
| upon behind closed doors by the police services | | | | such report indicated that advice and counsel was |
| themselves.With the advent of Community Policing, | | | | received from the association that represented |
| Community Policing Advisory Committees, Community | | | | officers of the Los Angeles Police Department. Given |
| Satisfaction Surveys and other similar Law | | | | the Rampart situation, this is a frightening |
| Enforcement efforts, any mystique that may have | | | | thought.This strategy can have significant negative |
| existed is being stripped away. Police officers are | | | | impacts upon the effectiveness of the police |
| being seen more and more as human beings with all | | | | service's executive. At the very least, this diversion |
| the human frailties everyone else in the community | | | | can have a very negative impact on the tactical |
| may possess. In short, the public is now more willing | | | | operations of the service or the strategic planning |
| to believe that their police officers are capable of | | | | efforts of the organization.As much as organizations |
| committing not only acts if misconduct, but also | | | | and their leaders may try to appeal to the |
| criminal acts.There is no shortage of Internet sites | | | | self-actualization aspirations of their employees, |
| that exist to report on police misconduct. In one | | | | various groups appear to operate at a much more |
| particularly poignant example, it is alleged that an | | | | basic level, from time to time.When perusing a |
| off-duty police officer had had a physical altercation | | | | variety of police association and/or union literature, |
| with a member of the public in a bar. The account of | | | | one frequently sees articles and points of view that |
| the fight included the civilian suffering convulsions, | | | | speak to job security, personal security or other |
| being attacked with a pool cue and having one of his | | | | related topics. If an individual's priorities involve |
| eyes dangling on his cheek as a result of the beating. | | | | self-preservation and/or job security, it is hardly |
| As it turned out, there was an altercation but it in no | | | | surprising that the loftier goals of the organization fail |
| way resembled the account offered on the Internet. | | | | to make the 'A List'. When a group is engrossed in |
| The altercation could in no way be described as a | | | | thoughts of self-preservation, it is not surprising that |
| beating and the civilian did not suffer convulsions and | | | | ethics, values or principles do not receive their |
| did not have an injury to his eye even remotely | | | | undivided attention.This reality simply underscores the |
| resembling that described.Anyone reading the original | | | | need for leaders to be very clear and unwavering in |
| account would have been left with the disturbing | | | | their communications with employees. The underlying |
| impression that the police officer had been involved in | | | | need for personal reassurance frequently interferes |
| a vicious, prolonged beating of an innocent civilian. | | | | with messages being sent from the head. Meaningful |
| Given the millions of people who regularly surf the | | | | and effectual communication ceases to |
| Internet, there is a very real likelihood that there are | | | | exist.Organizational Accountability and SupervisionIn |
| many people who may have read the account and | | | | organizations that 'grow their own' supervisors, |
| believed it.The result of this new pressure on the | | | | managers and administrators, there can be a leaning |
| police is that the public may be more prone to | | | | toward indifference of some misconduct. This |
| believing that the police are capable of heinous acts. | | | | inevitably results from having 'been there, done that'. |
| When one considers the impact and frequency of | | | | The graduation from front line through supervisor to |
| the Rodney King video that played and replayed on | | | | administrator sometimes fails to take this reality into |
| television sets across North America, it should not be | | | | consideration.There is a need for a level of |
| surprising that the public has changed it opinion of the | | | | experience in senior police ranks that can only be |
| probability of the police involving themselves in | | | | attained by having moved up through the |
| criminal acts. Disturbing photographs of military | | | | organization. But along with that experience may |
| behaviour in Somalia have brough similar pressure on | | | | occasionally come some unhealthy beliefs and |
| our armed forces.These realities raise the bar in | | | | inclination toward wilful blindness.As individuals embark |
| terms of the public's expectations of police officers | | | | upon their ascent of the chain of command, they |
| and members of the military. If the public is now | | | | undoubtedly carry with them varying amounts of |
| more prone to believing it is probable, or at the very | | | | sympathy, empathy and indulgence. This level of |
| least possible that police or military personnel can be | | | | unresponsiveness may vary, depending on their |
| involved in these types of loathsome behaviours, it is | | | | particular career path.When these characteristics |
| incumbent upon police and military leaders to create | | | | begin to muddy the waters of appropriate |
| and/or maintain ethical, highly principled organizations | | | | supervision, accountability and authority, however, |
| that are open to significant scrutiny by the pubic. | | | | they may begin to sow the seeds of future |
| Transparency has become vitally important.When the | | | | organizational difficulties. It is also blatantly unfair to |
| behaviours move too far along the | | | | each and every member of the organization. When a |
| acceptable-unacceptable continuum, the organization | | | | supervisor, manager or executive entertains the |
| may begin to experience considerable toxicity.In | | | | notion that 'boys will be boys' or something akin to |
| looking at some particularly heinous examples of this | | | | that, it is time for serious self-examination. Serious, |
| phenomena, this evolution to can more appropriately | | | | thoughtful, well-planned and well-designed supervisory |
| be described as devolution. Every time an | | | | training is a tool that must be employed to help |
| unacceptable behaviour is permitted, ignored or | | | | minimize the impacts of some of this inappropriate |
| condoned, it becomes the new standard for a | | | | baggage.The ExecutiveBy the time an individual is at |
| second, slightly more unacceptable behaviour. This | | | | the executive level of an organization, there is a |
| second behaviour sets a standard for a third, and so | | | | significant gap between their post and the front lines |
| on...In the Rampart Division of the Los Angeles Police | | | | of the organization. This gap frequently causes the |
| Department, incidents of serious assaults, robberies | | | | leader to steer his or her course using old, outdated |
| and even murders occurred; allegedly at the hands of | | | | charts. This necessitates having a process in place |
| sworn police officers. These unbelievable acts were | | | | whereby the leader can frequently and regularly 'take |
| the direct result of the devolution of the culture | | | | the pulse' of the organization's front line service |
| having been allowed to grow totally out of control. | | | | delivery personnel.Frequently, those who lead |
| The illegal acts in Rampart are, thankfully, atypical of | | | | organizations possess marvellous ethical qualities. All |
| the vast majority of police departments in North | | | | too frequently, however, their expectations of the |
| America. They remain, nonetheless, examples of | | | | organization are based upon their own personal |
| what can and does occur if the cultural devolution is | | | | values and beliefs, which are not shouted from the |
| not monitored and corrected. They are examples of | | | | rooftops.It is imperative that leaders proclaim their |
| what can occur if the leadership is inattentive; not | | | | ethical expectations of every member of the |
| listening to the heartbeat of their organization; not in | | | | organization in a loud, clear voice. A leader cannot |
| touch; not listening to the cries for help from their | | | | simply expect that those who follow do so with the |
| various constituents.The Code of Silence and The | | | | same ethical fervour as they do. In fairness to |
| Thin Blue LineThere is a fervent belief, by some, that | | | | everyone in the organization, the leader's values must |
| the police are all a part of the last bastion between | | | | be clearly communicated to all, so that those within |
| good and evil. There is a view held by some that | | | | the organization behave with the full knowledge of |
| they must stand shoulder to shoulder regardless of | | | | the likely impact and consequences of their actions - |
| the situation; that all are members of the 'Thin Blue | | | | good and bad.In any organization, the impact of the |
| Line'. This mindset can frequently foster other, more | | | | leader should never be underestimated; and there are |
| serious problems within a police organization.One of | | | | many eyes that are watching. Actions speak far |
| the first questions that must be asked is not simply | | | | louder than words. 'Walking the Talk' is the only |
| whether or not there is a 'Code of Silence' prevalent | | | | possible option.A Foundation for Times of |
| within the unit or organization; for the answer to that | | | | ConflictWhether or not a military force (or |
| is simple - Yes there is.The breadth and depth of the | | | | paramilitary force) is properly equipped to handle crisis |
| 'Code of Silence' are the more important dimensions | | | | situations in an ethical manner is, without a doubt, a |
| to define. The answers to these questions are | | | | critical consideration.For military leaders to have |
| frequently the bellwethers of problematic beliefs or | | | | confidence in the ethical nature of their units, it is |
| values within the culture of that organization.The | | | | crucial that the leader instils and demonstrates |
| Code of Silence drops like a curtain whenever it | | | | day-to-day personal, organizational and operational |
| appears that one or more members of the | | | | ethics in a consistent and demonstrable fashion.The |
| organization may have crossed that vaporous line | | | | methods whereby individuals are directed, evaluated, |
| between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.Time | | | | recognized and rewarded must take into |
| after time, when an internal affairs department or an | | | | consideration the need for clear goals and objectives, |
| outside agency begins to investigate allegations of | | | | honest and forthright evaluations against well-known |
| wrongdoing within a particular police organization, | | | | and measurable standards, supervisory and |
| memories become vague, vision becomes blurred and | | | | management accountability and frequent but sincere |
| details become illusive.Within the culture, there is an | | | | recognition and reward.When sculpting such an |
| unwritten rule that officers do not inform on one | | | | organization, the leader must plan each move within |
| another. This is, in part because of the belief that | | | | the framework of the organizational culture that |
| they must protect one another and also that only | | | | prevails. Appropriate measures must be in place to |
| another cop understands what they go through on a | | | | anticipate, recognize and properly deal with various |
| daily basis; that many of these investigations are the | | | | challenging aspects of the culture. The leader must |
| result of individuals not knowing the harsh realities of | | | | be ready, willing and able to operate in a manner that |
| policing; that they must stick together.Cops dislike | | | | is open to intense scrutiny. Nothing less can be |
| dirty cops. This is a strongly held belief inside and | | | | contemplated.It is only when the organization |
| outside police organizations. The line between | | | | possesses an impermeable ethical foundation that the |
| somewhat soiled and dirty is very difficult to define, | | | | leader can hope to deliver on the promise of a highly |
| however. Unfortunately, some wrongdoings are | | | | ethical service during times of crisis.Bob Fitches is a |
| condoned, or at least ignored, while others are not. | | | | consultant to small and large organizations. He has |
| The two lists vary considerably, depending on who is | | | | worked in these fields for a number of years and |
| composing the lists. The difficulty, of course, is the | | | | offers executives and others insights and advice on |
| subjectivity and occasional self-interest that | | | | building and maintaining ethically strong, values-based |
| sometimes seeps into such assessments.Once the | | | | organizations. As well as having a successful |
| 'Code of Silence' question has been investigated, | | | | consultancy, Bob is also a Life/Personal/Executive |
| there are other, more particular questions that the | | | | Coach and a much sought-after public speaker. Bob |
| administrator must pose:ž What behaviours | | | | can be reached by email at rjfitchesinc@bellnet.ca, or |
| have become acceptable within the culture that | | | | toll free at 1-888-325-6164. |
| would not be acceptable outside it? | | | | |