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Write You - Ethics in Conflict - Building a Strong Foundation
Any event will have people who register to attend and fail to show up. There are many reasons for not attending, but it really comes down to priorities.No shows create problems for event planners ranging from wasted meals and poor event atmosphere to listening to excuses and deciding whether or not to charge the posted cancellation fee.Everyone, including the attendees would be better off if people would attend events as planned. Here are some reminders about how you might minimize the number of "no shows" to your event.Get their money (if your event has a fee)With online registration and real time credit card processing, this is easy. Once you have full payment, people will be more likely to show up and if they don't you still have their money.This is where you need a good refund and cancellation policy clearly stated on the registration form. Your policy will need to reflect the type of event that you are working on, but in general you don't want to make the policy too lenient as people may not take the registration seriously, nor do you want it to be too strict as people may be discouraged from registering. See our article about writing refund and cancellation policies.Put on a great eventThis really goes without saying, but if you can make attending your event the best option available then people will be motivated to show up. Try coming up with a list of benefits associated with your event such as who people will see, what they will learn, what great food will be served, etc. Creating an element of mystery may also help as curiosity can get the better of people and they will attend to see the secret new product or hear the latest industry changing news.Send a reminderPeople get reminders about dentist and hair appointments so why not for events? Sometimes people are busy and they simply forget about a commitment. A simple reminder email or phone call prior to the event will help to keep people committed.Pick a good date and timeDo your research and select a date and time that will get you the highest turnout. For example, if you are targeting accountants, the end of April would be poor timing as most accountants are being overworked at that time. So with best intentions they may initially commit to the event but many won't end up being there.Have a giveaway for attendeesA giveaway, discount or special deal available only to those who are in attendance can provide just enough extra incentive required to attend. Maybe you can negotiate with a sponsor to provide the items/deals.These few ideas may help reduce the number of no shows at your events, but there is always more that can be done. Try calling t
Anyone reading the original account would have been left with the disturbing impression that the police officer had been involved in a vicious, prolonged beating of an innocent civilian. Given the millions of people who regularly surf the Internet, there is a very real likelihood that there are many people who may have read the account and believed it.
The result of this new pressure on the police is that the public may be more prone to believing that the police are capable of heinous acts. When one considers the impact and frequency of the Rodney King video that played and replayed on television sets across North America, it should not be surprising that the public has changed it opinion of the probability of the police involving themselves in criminal
Brochures are powerful advertising tools that help in persuading consumers to purchase their requirements form a certain store. However, their power is increased only when they are created uniquely and accurately to represent you in the market. The creation of a brochure design is a collective process among the competent writers, designers and printers. It is with these people’s expertise that an effective brochure is created.The basic element of a good brochure design is obviously deciding on the matter to be included in the brochure! Choose meaningful and right colors and photos for the brochures. Make sure that the matter in the brochure is readable, for if not, the whole objective of the brochure is lost!Focus on the needs of the customers of your services, and thus, your brochure. They want to know what exactly it is in them from the brochure. They need to improve their bottom line and to make their lives easier. Don’t just tell them about the benefits of your services; use the brochure to show them! Nothing proves to be more convincing than a good demonstration in the brochure! Value information, which is, useful information for the client is another essential element of a good brochure design. So add value information in the brochure and see the increase in the strength of your demonstration!Don’t make the font of your brochure too wordy as the better brochures are always seen to have a brief headline, with a meaty body. Keep the headline simple, but striking, as this is a great element in the making of a good brochure design. Whatever the matter you place in the brochure, provide your prospects with just enough information so that they tend to crave for more information. To accomplish this, you have to lightly touch the main topics to get people excited to inquire about more information! Leave contact information in the brochure through which the customer can reach you to get to know more about your business, and thus become a part of it! If possible, add testimonials to your brochure as this increases your credibility. Use the person’s full name, company name and ask them for their permission! Adding the word ‘free’ in the brochure by saying ‘buy one, get one free’; free parking; free delivery, etc. This thus makes the reader curious to read the brochure and to try out your services!Quality printing is yet another element of brochure design worth mentioning. Use the latest and most reliable printing equipment to help you get professional printed brochures. Using an old printer only produces unprofessional-looking prints, which prove to be of no profit to you! Use all these elements to create a good brochure design, which your client is sure to keep; thereby placing your name in front of them every day of the week! You then build a trusted relation
Police services and the military have enormous powers conferred upon them by the state. Each has the ability to restrict or remove individual liberty and both have the overwhelming and unenviable right to use lethal force where necessary. These powers are, in large measure, the basis for citizens’ demanding that our organizations are founded on strong ethics, principles and values.
In the vast majority of cases, especially in days gone by, the military’s focus has been other than domestic. When they are dispatched to any operational situation anywhere in the world, including here in Canada, they very often become very involved in the domestic life of that country’s citizens, however.
As time passes and one views the tasking being given to Canada’s military, one can see more and more that the role is that of peacekeeper rather than warrior. This reality brings our military and our police even closer in terms of roles, responsibilities, values, principles and ethics.
Some of the Challenges
There are some realities within the culture of paramilitary organizations that may cause significant interference with effective communications both internally and externally. It is incumbent upon the leaders of these organizations to recognize, accept and properly counteract any negative aspects of their organizational culture.
It is not sufficient that a leader possess impeccable values. The leader must demonstrate these principles in daily interactions with others, and the leader must communicate these values to all employees regularly, consistently and unashamedly. There must be a very clear understanding by each and every member of the organization that ethics, values and principles are simply non-negotiable.
All too frequently, when an individual is discovered to have been involved in unacceptable behaviour, the ‘bad apple’ theory is held up as the answer. A ‘bad apple’ grows and develops in an environment that either condones or ignores the early warning signs, or in some cases tacitly approves of the indicative behaviour.
The difficulty with the ‘act and react’ approach is that it is often seen by the junior ranks as, at best a witch-hunt or at worst a hollow inquisition with obvious ulterior motives. Occasionally, some view the curative measures that are imposed as knee-jerk reactions to isolated incidents. As a result, there are virtually no long terms benefits realized. Occasionally, such actions can actually have significantly negative consequences.
This is not to minimize the general and specific deterrence of swift, impartial action by the administration. It is imperative, however, that the organization be alive to any and all signs of larger, more insidious issues and take proactive measures when and where appropriate.
To fully understand how misconduct can take place, and more importantly, how it is sometimes viewed by the transgressor’s peers, it is vitally important to take a close and critical look at the organizational culture in which the misconduct occurred. This examination can take several forms but the most fruitful may be a bottom-up, holistic approach.
Defining the Organizational Culture
Military and paramilitary organizations have, over many years, developed a culture they can truly call their own. Moreover, units within these organizations develop subcultures that must also be recognized. This is especially true of specialist or ‘elite’ units.
A good starting point for the analysis of any organization in terms of values, principles and ethics can and possibly should begin at the front lines. This analysis can help to identify the symptoms of any irregularities within the culture.
The Cultural Evolution
Activities and behaviours within a particular organizational culture sometimes indicate values and standards that differ widely from those outside that culture. This is not peculiar to police or the military. Almost every single organization in every conceivable sector has it own, individual culture.
Organizations that tend to have their own ‘language’; their own specific identity; their own atypical rules; are more susceptible to developing a culture that is some distance from the culture of mainstream society. The members of the organization often believe that their world is too different, too complex and too onerous for anyone outside the organization to begin to understand. This belief is the likely foundation of peculiar cultural values.
Until quite recently, police services were very definitely apart from society. Although they are sworn to serve and protect society, this sworn duty was most often performed in the manner decided upon behind closed doors by the police services themselves.
With the advent of Community Policing, Community Policing Advisory Committees, Community Satisfaction Surveys and other similar Law Enforcement efforts, any mystique that may have existed is being stripped away. Police officers are being seen more and more as human beings with all the human frailties everyone else in the community may possess. In short, the public is now more willing to believe that their police officers are capable of committing not only acts if misconduct, but also criminal acts.
There is no shortage of Internet sites that exist to report on police misconduct. In one particularly poignant example, it is alleged that an off-duty police officer had had a physical altercation with a member of the public in a bar. The account of the fight included the civilian suffering convulsions, being attacked with a pool cue and having one of his eyes dangling on his cheek as a result of the beating. As it turned out, there was an altercation but it in no way resembled the account offered on the Internet. The altercation could in no way be described as a beating and the civilian did not suffer convulsions and did not have an injury to his eye even remotely resembling that described.
Anyone reading the original account would have been left with the disturbing impression that the police officer had been involved in a vicious, prolonged beating of an innocent civilian. Given the millions of people who regularly surf the Internet, there is a very real likelihood that there are many people who may have read the account and believed it.
The result of this new pressure on the police is that the public may be more prone to believing that the police are capable of heinous acts. When one considers the impact and frequency of the Rodney King video that played and replayed on television sets across North America, it should not be surprising that the public has changed it opinion of the probability of the police involving themselves in criminal a
Companies spend millions of dollars trying to decipher what’s behind the buying behaviors of retail consumers.But, what about B2B decision-makers? According to Bryan Eisenberg in an article at ClickZ, most B2B business decision-makers fall into one of four preference categories -- methodical, spontaneous, humanistic or competitive. Depending on the style of decision-maker you are trying to reach, you will want to set up your Web pages in certain ways. Here are the four preference categories:Methodical decision-makers: Most B2B sales efforts are designed for these individuals. They care about rules, organization and methods. They’re practical, analytical, conservative and devour information. They can also be too rigid.Spontaneous decision-makers: These business people are high energy, poised, adventurous, responsive, flexible and value authenticity. They seek individual expression and attention. They can often be impatient.Humanistic style decision-makers are people-oriented. They care about relationships, harmony, principles and big-picture outlooks. They’re creative, listeners and seek meaning in their work. However, they can be perfectionists and slow to make decisions.Competitive decision-makers are aggressive and competitive. They’re no nonsense and want things to get done. They are driven to achieve success.While this is helpful information, I am not sure how to predict which type of decision-maker will arrive on your Web page. To reach all four types, do you try to include something for each style of decision-maker? Or do you set up your pages to appeal to one particular type of decision-maker to the exclusion of other types? How do you determine to which type you direct your appeal? If one type is more prevalent in your industry, is that something peculiar to your industry, or is it just a by-chance occurrence of luck?And, finally, do small business owners tend to fall into one preference category versus others? I don’t think so. In fact, there is danger in stereotyping. Small business owners run the gamut of all different types, depending on the industry they are in and their own particular personalities and backgrounds. They’re different. They’re unique. In fact, they sound a lot like retail consumers.The URL for this article is: http://blogs.bnet.com/smallbusiness/?m=20061109
Some of the Challenges
There are some realities within the culture of paramilitary organizations that may cause significant interference with effective communications both internally and externally. It is incumbent upon the leaders of these organizations to recognize, accept and properly counteract any negative aspects of their organizational culture.
It is not sufficient that a leader possess impeccable values. The leader must demonstrate these principles in daily interactions with others, and the leader must communicate these values to all employees regularly, consistently and unashamedly. There must be a very clear understanding by each and every member of the organization that ethics, values and principles are simply non-negotiable.
All too frequently, when an individual is discovered to have been involved in unacceptable behaviour, the ‘bad apple’ theory is held up as the answer. A ‘bad apple’ grows and develops in an environment that either condones or ignores the early warning signs, or in some cases tacitly approves of the indicative behaviour.
The difficulty with the ‘act and react’ approach is that it is often seen by the junior ranks as, at best a witch-hunt or at worst a hollow inquisition with obvious ulterior motives. Occasionally, some view the curative measures that are imposed as knee-jerk reactions to isolated incidents. As a result, there are virtually no long terms benefits realized. Occasionally, such actions can actually have significantly negative consequences.
This is not to minimize the general and specific deterrence of swift, impartial action by the administration. It is imperative, however, that the organization be alive to any and all signs of larger, more insidious issues and take proactive measures when and where appropriate.
To fully understand how misconduct can take place, and more importantly, how it is sometimes viewed by the transgressor’s peers, it is vitally important to take a close and critical look at the organizational culture in which the misconduct occurred. This examination can take several forms but the most fruitful may be a bottom-up, holistic approach.
Defining the Organizational Culture
Military and paramilitary organizations have, over many years, developed a culture they can truly call their own. Moreover, units within these organizations develop subcultures that must also be recognized. This is especially true of specialist or ‘elite’ units.
A good starting point for the analysis of any organization in terms of values, principles and ethics can and possibly should begin at the front lines. This analysis can help to identify the symptoms of any irregularities within the culture.
The Cultural Evolution
Activities and behaviours within a particular organizational culture sometimes indicate values and standards that differ widely from those outside that culture. This is not peculiar to police or the military. Almost every single organization in every conceivable sector has it own, individual culture.
Organizations that tend to have their own ‘language’; their own specific identity; their own atypical rules; are more susceptible to developing a culture that is some distance from the culture of mainstream society. The members of the organization often believe that their world is too different, too complex and too onerous for anyone outside the organization to begin to understand. This belief is the likely foundation of peculiar cultural values.
Until quite recently, police services were very definitely apart from society. Although they are sworn to serve and protect society, this sworn duty was most often performed in the manner decided upon behind closed doors by the police services themselves.
With the advent of Community Policing, Community Policing Advisory Committees, Community Satisfaction Surveys and other similar Law Enforcement efforts, any mystique that may have existed is being stripped away. Police officers are being seen more and more as human beings with all the human frailties everyone else in the community may possess. In short, the public is now more willing to believe that their police officers are capable of committing not only acts if misconduct, but also criminal acts.
There is no shortage of Internet sites that exist to report on police misconduct. In one particularly poignant example, it is alleged that an off-duty police officer had had a physical altercation with a member of the public in a bar. The account of the fight included the civilian suffering convulsions, being attacked with a pool cue and having one of his eyes dangling on his cheek as a result of the beating. As it turned out, there was an altercation but it in no way resembled the account offered on the Internet. The altercation could in no way be described as a beating and the civilian did not suffer convulsions and did not have an injury to his eye even remotely resembling that described.
Anyone reading the original account would have been left with the disturbing impression that the police officer had been involved in a vicious, prolonged beating of an innocent civilian. Given the millions of people who regularly surf the Internet, there is a very real likelihood that there are many people who may have read the account and believed it.
The result of this new pressure on the police is that the public may be more prone to believing that the police are capable of heinous acts. When one considers the impact and frequency of the Rodney King video that played and replayed on television sets across North America, it should not be surprising that the public has changed it opinion of the probability of the police involving themselves in criminal
Let’s see, which came first the chicken or the egg? While the jury is still out on that old story, I recently realized that many entrepreneurs don’t clearly understand the difference between branding and marketing.I’m here to set the record straight once and for all! The findings might surprise you and will forever change the way you look at your business.BrandingHow is that you choose one product over another? You do so by considering price, availability, evaluating the high touch elements of a company like customer service, respect you have for that company, and then of course product quality.A brand therefore is the combination of aesthetic and emotions that gives a consumer (or business buyer) a reason to choose one product over another. It communicates a unique quality or a value promise that sets a business apart from their competition.Branding isn’t just for large corporations either. Entrepreneurs, coaches, consultants, virtual assistants, small businesses in general are now packaging themselves as products with press kits, tag lines, websites, blogs, and portfolios allowing their clients to EXPERIENCE their personal brands.A common misconception is that branding is just a clever phrase for PR spin and that’s just not the case! Great personal branding is AUTHENTIC and allows you to be your true self. It’s not about creating a special persona that you “show off” in front of your clients. Instead, it’s about understanding what is truly unique about you: strengths, skills, values and passions – and communicating those attributes consistently to differentiate yourself and guide your business decisions.Personal branding is all about differentiation and is what makes you outstanding so you stand out from the countless offers your target audience is bombarded with.MarketingThe American Marketing Association redefined Marketing based on shifts occurring in the business of marketing. They now define marketing as: An organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders.If we were to re-word that definition (slightly) for the solo pro it could look something like this: A set of systems for creating, communicating and delivering value to clients and customers for the purpose of creating winning customer relationships in ways that benefit you, your business and market.What value are you delivering? In what way are you, and your business delivering that value? Those are just some of the questions that are addressed in the brand development process. You see if you go to “market” with
This is not to minimize the general and specific deterrence of swift, impartial action by the administration. It is imperative, however, that the organization be alive to any and all signs of larger, more insidious issues and take proactive measures when and where appropriate.
To fully understand how misconduct can take place, and more importantly, how it is sometimes viewed by the transgressor’s peers, it is vitally important to take a close and critical look at the organizational culture in which the misconduct occurred. This examination can take several forms but the most fruitful may be a bottom-up, holistic approach.
Defining the Organizational Culture
Military and paramilitary organizations have, over many years, developed a culture they can truly call their own. Moreover, units within these organizations develop subcultures that must also be recognized. This is especially true of specialist or ‘elite’ units.
A good starting point for the analysis of any organization in terms of values, principles and ethics can and possibly should begin at the front lines. This analysis can help to identify the symptoms of any irregularities within the culture.
The Cultural Evolution
Activities and behaviours within a particular organizational culture sometimes indicate values and standards that differ widely from those outside that culture. This is not peculiar to police or the military. Almost every single organization in every conceivable sector has it own, individual culture.
Organizations that tend to have their own ‘language’; their own specific identity; their own atypical rules; are more susceptible to developing a culture that is some distance from the culture of mainstream society. The members of the organization often believe that their world is too different, too complex and too onerous for anyone outside the organization to begin to understand. This belief is the likely foundation of peculiar cultural values.
Until quite recently, police services were very definitely apart from society. Although they are sworn to serve and protect society, this sworn duty was most often performed in the manner decided upon behind closed doors by the police services themselves.
With the advent of Community Policing, Community Policing Advisory Committees, Community Satisfaction Surveys and other similar Law Enforcement efforts, any mystique that may have existed is being stripped away. Police officers are being seen more and more as human beings with all the human frailties everyone else in the community may possess. In short, the public is now more willing to believe that their police officers are capable of committing not only acts if misconduct, but also criminal acts.
There is no shortage of Internet sites that exist to report on police misconduct. In one particularly poignant example, it is alleged that an off-duty police officer had had a physical altercation with a member of the public in a bar. The account of the fight included the civilian suffering convulsions, being attacked with a pool cue and having one of his eyes dangling on his cheek as a result of the beating. As it turned out, there was an altercation but it in no way resembled the account offered on the Internet. The altercation could in no way be described as a beating and the civilian did not suffer convulsions and did not have an injury to his eye even remotely resembling that described.
Anyone reading the original account would have been left with the disturbing impression that the police officer had been involved in a vicious, prolonged beating of an innocent civilian. Given the millions of people who regularly surf the Internet, there is a very real likelihood that there are many people who may have read the account and believed it.
The result of this new pressure on the police is that the public may be more prone to believing that the police are capable of heinous acts. When one considers the impact and frequency of the Rodney King video that played and replayed on television sets across North America, it should not be surprising that the public has changed it opinion of the probability of the police involving themselves in criminal
Closing a store requires considerable effort and attention and the items listed below, in no particular order, are minimal considerations when terminating a franchise and closing a dealership operation.THIS CHECKLIST IS NOT "ALL INCLUSIVE". YOU SHOULD CONSULT WITH YOUR ATTORNEY AND ACCOUNTANT AND THIS LIST SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS AN ADDITIONAL AID FOR YOU TO USE TO BUILD UPON WHEN YOU CONFER WITH THEM.Basic Preparation1. Officers, Directors and ShareholdersBe certain to hold both directors and shareholders meetings and to obtain resolutions from each entity, authorizing the dealer to liquidate the dealership, or a substantial portion of the dealership's assets.Determine whether or not the board and shareholders may authorize you a termination bonus and prepay your for your services in "winding down the business". Consult with your accountant and attorney to determine what would be a reasonable amount of compensation in the event a company creditor challenges the transaction.Determine if it is reasonable for officers to buy themselves and their spouse vehicles. Pay "Net" "Net", as that would be the sales price if the vehicle were returned to the factory or sold to a purchaser of the business.The officers should open a new bank account, at a different bank, and: (a) use a PO Box, or Private Mail Service as a mailing address; and (b) use a different check color in order to easily determine pre and post closing checks written.Authorize payment to and pre-pay the company's attorney and accountant with a retainer. Their services will be needed to properly close the business and the company might not be able to pay them later.Authorize pre-payment of whatever services or supplies the company will need to be serviced during the wind-down period. For example, property and personal insurance, real property taxes (if the property is not owned by a third party), rent, utilities and such.2. The Facility and InsuranceA one-sheet summary of the lease should be attached to the original, in order to facilitate matters. The summary should include such items as: the dates of the base term; the base rent; the current rent; the dates of any option periods, together with notations regarding rent increases; the facility ownership; the lessee and lessor; a notation as to whether or not the factory has point, or site protection; the rent as an equivalent to the dollar value per new unit sold; and, a notation as to WHETHER OR NOT THE LEASE IS ASSIGNABLE and under what conditions.Other considerations regarding the facility lease include violations of the ADA, hazardous materials (underground gas tanks, or underground oil disposal tanks) being located on the property.Owned Facilities
Organizations that tend to have their own ‘language’; their own specific identity; their own atypical rules; are more susceptible to developing a culture that is some distance from the culture of mainstream society. The members of the organization often believe that their world is too different, too complex and too onerous for anyone outside the organization to begin to understand. This belief is the likely foundation of peculiar cultural values.
Until quite recently, police services were very definitely apart from society. Although they are sworn to serve and protect society, this sworn duty was most often performed in the manner decided upon behind closed doors by the police services themselves.
With the advent of Community Policing, Community Policing Advisory Committees, Community Satisfaction Surveys and other similar Law Enforcement efforts, any mystique that may have existed is being stripped away. Police officers are being seen more and more as human beings with all the human frailties everyone else in the community may possess. In short, the public is now more willing to believe that their police officers are capable of committing not only acts if misconduct, but also criminal acts.
There is no shortage of Internet sites that exist to report on police misconduct. In one particularly poignant example, it is alleged that an off-duty police officer had had a physical altercation with a member of the public in a bar. The account of the fight included the civilian suffering convulsions, being attacked with a pool cue and having one of his eyes dangling on his cheek as a result of the beating. As it turned out, there was an altercation but it in no way resembled the account offered on the Internet. The altercation could in no way be described as a beating and the civilian did not suffer convulsions and did not have an injury to his eye even remotely resembling that described.
Anyone reading the original account would have been left with the disturbing impression that the police officer had been involved in a vicious, prolonged beating of an innocent civilian. Given the millions of people who regularly surf the Internet, there is a very real likelihood that there are many people who may have read the account and believed it.
The result of this new pressure on the police is that the public may be more prone to believing that the police are capable of heinous acts. When one considers the impact and frequency of the Rodney King video that played and replayed on television sets across North America, it should not be surprising that the public has changed it opinion of the probability of the police involving themselves in criminal
A good logo design is the basic consideration of almost every company that wants to make an impact in the market. Marketing tools used by a company, whether print material or broadcast commercials, somehow exhibit the company’s logo. This simply means that your logo designs are your representatives in the market.There are certain well known companies out in the market having abstract logo designs namely Pepsi, Addidas, Nike, etc. People probably wonder why they choose abstract logo designs instead of going for something that makes sense. The answer is simple; because abstract logo designs direct the attention towards the companies then to the logo design itself. Abstract logo designs create a unique identity of the company in its targeted market. For instance, the Addidas logo is an abstract. It is a combination of three plain slant lines. Now, wherever these lines are found whether on a product or on a store’s hoarding people recognize it as ‘the logo of addidas’.Abstract logo designs have no norms. Abstract designs can be of any type and in any form. It can be a classy design or can also be a dull looking one. However the suggestion is to keep abstract logo designs really unique and out of the box. It is the creators wish but also his knack to create an unalike piece of art.However, the basic consideration should be that the abstract logo designs correspond with the company’s or the product’s nature. It should be cost effective especially if it is for consumer products. Cost efficiency can be achieved by using simple and not many colors and by the abstract logo’s size.
Anyone reading the original account would have been left with the disturbing impression that the police officer had been involved in a vicious, prolonged beating of an innocent civilian. Given the millions of people who regularly surf the Internet, there is a very real likelihood that there are many people who may have read the account and believed it.
The result of this new pressure on the police is that the public may be more prone to believing that the police are capable of heinous acts. When one considers the impact and frequency of the Rodney King video that played and replayed on television sets across North America, it should not be surprising that the public has changed it opinion of the probability of the police involving themselves in criminal acts. Disturbing photographs of military behaviour in Somalia have brough similar pressure on our armed forces.
These realities raise the bar in terms of the public’s expectations of police officers and members of the military. If the public is now more prone to believing it is probable, or at the very least possible that police or military personnel can be involved in these types of loathsome behaviours, it is incumbent upon police and military leaders to create and/or maintain ethical, highly principled organizations that are open to significant scrutiny by the pubic. Transparency has become vitally important.
When the behaviours move too far along the acceptable-unacceptable continuum, the organization may begin to experience considerable toxicity.
In looking at some particularly heinous examples of this phenomena, this evolution to can more appropriately be described as devolution. Every time an unacceptable behaviour is permitted, ignored or condoned, it becomes the new standard for a second, slightly more unacceptable behaviour. This second behaviour sets a standard for a third, and so on…
In the Rampart Division of the Los Angeles Police Department, incidents of serious assaults, robberies and even murders occurred; allegedly at the hands of sworn police officers. These unbelievable acts were the direct result of the devolution of the culture having been allowed to grow totally out of control. The illegal acts in Rampart are, thankfully, atypical of the vast majority of police departments in North America. They remain, nonetheless, examples of what can and does occur if the cultural devolution is not monitored and corrected. They are examples of what can occur if the leadership is inattentive; not listening to the heartbeat of their organization; not in touch; not listening to the cries for help from their various constituents.
The Code of Silence and The Thin Blue Line
There is a fervent belief, by some, that the police are all a part of the last bastion between good and evil. There is a view held by some that they must stand shoulder to shoulder regardless of the situation; that all are members of the ‘Thin Blue Line’. This mindset can frequently foster other, more serious problems within a police organization.
One of the first questions that must be asked is not simply whether or not there is a ‘Code of Silence’ prevalent within the unit or organization; for the answer to that is simple – Yes there is.
The breadth and depth of the ‘Code of Silence’ are the more important dimensions to define. The answers to these questions are frequently the bellwethers of problematic beliefs or values within the culture of that organization.
The Code of Silence drops like a curtain whenever it appears that one or more members of the organization may have crossed that vaporous line between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.
Time after time, when an internal affairs department or an outside agency begins to investigate allegations of wrongdoing within a particular police organization, memories become vague, vision becomes blurred and details become illusive.
Within the culture, there is an unwritten rule that officers do not inform on one another. This is, in part because of the belief that they must protect one another and also that only another cop understands what they go through on a daily basis; that many of these investigations are the result of individuals not knowing the harsh realities of policing; that they must stick together.
Cops dislike dirty cops. This is a strongly held belief inside and outside police organizations. The line between somewhat soiled and dirty is very difficult to define, however. Unfortunately, some wrongdoings are condoned, or at least ignored, while others are not. The two lists vary considerably, depending on who is composing the lists. The difficulty, of course, is the subjectivity and occasional self-interest that sometimes seeps into such assessments.
Once the ‘Code of Silence’ question has been investigated, there are other, more particular questions that the administrator must pose:
? What behaviours have become acceptable within the culture that would not be acceptable outside it? ? How prevalent are these behaviours? ? Are these behaviours a ‘right of passage’ into a particular unit? ? Are these behaviours an indication of the ‘Three Musketeers’ mentality? ? Are these behaviours being condoned or simply ignored?
The answers to these questions will provide some self-evident guidance to police leaders as to the depth and breadth of the issue within their organization.
Noble Cause Corruption
Often times, the noble ideals that motivate men and women to enlist in a police service are the very same qualities that motivate them to behave inappropriately. These men and women do not act as they do out of some evil intent. They do so with the noblest intent. Tragically, these situations often have terribly unhappy consequences.
We in Canada have had numerous examples of this reality; especially since DNA technology has arisen as a tool in the detection of crime. As we now can see, there have been numerous examples of wrongful convictions, based upon the investigations by hard-working, tireless, honest, dedicated police officers.
One need only look at Donald Marshall, David Milgaard or Guy Paul Morin to see how tragedy has befallen these three men, and others, as a result of a steadfast belief in their guilt by a host of people within the Criminal Justice System during their investigation, detention and prosecution.
In the village of Queensville, Ontario, 8 year-old Christine Jessop disappeared. Some time later, her partially clothed and violated body was discovered. It became absolutely impe
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