Police Ethics: Principles and Practice

Ethics has been identified as the greatest training and leadership need in policing today. In this new text, veteran author Bruce Bjorkquist motivates readers to learn the essentials of police ethics—both principles and practices—and apply them in their careers. An ethics instructor for over 35 years, Bjorkquist combines his trademark interactive approach to learning with a conversational style that engages students in the processes of critical thinking and ethical decision making while encouraging them to reflect on and deepen their own ethical views.

Police Ethics begins by exploring the role of ethics in the policing of a civil society, then examines societal and professional codes—in particular, the Charter, the UN Declaration, and policing codes. Individual chapters on freedom, goodness, equality, justice, and truth provide an in-depth look at the five principles of ethical reasoning and conduct, with a focus on how these principles are reflected in real-world policing scenarios.

As students work through the text, they will develop their critical thinking skills, gain an understanding of the basic values of Canadian society as expressed in the Charter, learn about the ethical expectations set out in policing codes of conduct, and prepare to behave in ethically defensible ways in their future careers.

To access additional materials related to each chapter, visit the Police Ethics Weblinks page.