NCJ Number
124325
Journal
Police Studies Volume: 12 Issue: 4 Dated: (Winter 1989) Pages: 160-164
Date Published
1989
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The New South Wales (Australia) Police Service has instituted anti-corruption reforms, through operational activity, organizational restructure, and education, that have attracted national and international attention. This reform stemmed from an awareness of institutionalized corruption, consisting of a corrupt power structure, a code of loyalty and silence, peer group pressure, a tolerating attitude by aware non-participants, and reluctance to submit offenders to the usual consequences of detection.
Abstract
As a starting point for a consideration of professional responsibility in Australian policing, the New South Wales Police Service developed a statement which placed integrity first, upheld the rule of law, preserved individuals rights, sought to increase community involvement in policing, strived for citizen and police personal satisfaction, and capitalized on human and public resources. Regionalization of the police was the major organizational thrust of the anti-corruption effort because it gave each patrol and community a clear sense of its responsibility. Recruitment has been professionalized and each component of police training has an integrated ethical component. At the operational level, anti-corruption strategies include an increase in supervision and accountability as well as a corporate commitment to professional responsibility. Anti-corruption plans require police to report their colleagues' misconduct and protect whistleblowers. Community surveys have indicated some positive trends: the level of respect for police has increased, the general police image has improved, and citizens accept and applaud the government's anti-corruption efforts.