NCJ Number
45800
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 26 Issue: 2 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1978) Pages: 58-62
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
ENLIGHTENED LEADERSHIP, PERSONNEL TRAINING, AND THE DESIRE TO MEMBERS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO RID THEIR RANKS OF CORRUPTION ARE CONSIDERED TO HAVE EFFECTED REFORM IN NEW YORK CITY.
Abstract
THE LACK OF INTERNAL CONTROLS AND A CLEARLY DEFINED STRUCTURE FOR DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS OF CORRUPTION ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTING CAUSES OF THE EVOLUTION OF CORRUPTION IN THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS REVEALED BY THE KNAPP COMMISSION IN 1970. REFORM BEGAN UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF POLICE COMMISSIONER PATRICK MURPHY WITH EFFORTS TO STIMULATE STRONG ANTICORRUPTION ATTITUDES AMONG POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY. NEW STRUCTURES OF CONTROL AND TRAINING WERE ESTABLISHED AT ALL LEVELS WHICH WERE DESIGNED TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH EVERY COMPLAINT OR INDICATION OF CORRUPTION. THE RESTRUCTURED INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION WAS GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF RECORDING AND PROCESSING COMPLAINTS, SUPERVISING THEIR INVESTIGATION, REVIEWING ALL FINAL INVESTIGATION RESULTS, AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, CONDUCTING SPECIFIC INVESTIGATIONS ITSELF. FIELD INTERNAL AFFAIRS UNITS WERE CREATED AND ASSIGNED TO PERFORM INVESTIGATIONS UNDER THE DIRECT CONTROL AND SUPERVISION OF COMMANDING OFFICERS OF EACH OF THE DEPARTMENT'S MAJOR COMMANDS. ALL PERSONS SERVING IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS WERE CAREFULLY SCREENED AND TRAINED. THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION'S TRAINING UNIT DESIGNED COURSES FOR ALL PERSONNEL AND RECRUITS TO HELP THEM RECOGNIZE AND RESIST THE TEMPTATIONS OF BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION. THE POSITION OF INTEGRITY CONTROL OFFICER WAS ESTABLISHED IN MOST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S COMMANDS FOR THE PURPOSES OF DEVELOPING PLANS AND PROGRAMS TO PREVENT OR OVERCOME CORRUPTION AT THE FIELD LEVEL. (RCB)