GS Paper 4
Source: The Hindu
Context: The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu addressed the probationers of the 74th Batch of the Indian Police Service at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad.
Policing is essential for maintaining law and order and the smooth functioning of society. The absence of a professional code of ethics creates a scenario where it is easy to be a moral opportunist and use unethical conduct as a means of career advancement.
President’s note:
- The police are the most visible organ of the government.
- The quality of their leadership would determine the effectiveness and morale of the force led by them. She advised them to keep in mind and demonstrate through action, the five fundamental attributes of Integrity, Impartiality, Courage, Competence and Sensitivity.
- Police officers are going to play the role of change agents in India’s achieving greater prosperity while ensuring sustainable development, especially inclusion.
- Nari Shakti has to play a major role in achieving the targets we have set for ourselves during the ‘Amrit Kaal’. A truly ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, pre-supposes ‘Atmanirbhar Nari’.
Why Police Ethics are different?
- Life and liberty are fundamental moral values. While making any moral decisions, the police have to consider a complex array of conditions. For any action taken by a person, they have to see the motivation and intentions of the action and its consequences. They have to do their jobs in accordance with the laws that are in place at that time,
- Police may be required to face danger or hostility in order to do their duty; police officers are likely to experience a range of emotions including fear, anger, suspicion, excitement, and boredom largely than people in other occupations. To act effectively as police, they must be able to respond to these emotions in the right way, which requires them to be emotionally intelligent.
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Q. Discuss some of the ethical issues surrounding a modern police job. (250 words)
