Moral Dilemma Question

**Terminator** · 04-05-08, 06:13 AM

In any given instance, would you rather do what's right and moral, and lose your job, or do something immoral (but legal & authorized by a supervisor), and keep your job?

**Shoestring** · 04-05-08, 06:17 AM

Originally Posted by Terminator

In any given instance, would you rather do what's right and moral, and lose your job, or do something immoral (but legal & authorized by a supervisor), and keep your job?

I am no boyscout but I think it depends on teh situation. I would like to say I would do the right thing and lose my job, but depending on the circumstances, you make choices on the spot that you may not always agree with yourself

**deputy29** · 04-05-08, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by Shoestring

I am no boyscout but I think it depends on teh situation. I would like to say I would do the right thing and lose my job, but depending on the circumstances, you make choices on the spot that you may not always agree with yourself

+1

**Cidp24** · 04-05-08, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by Shoestring

I am no boyscout but I think it depends on teh situation. I would like to say I would do the right thing and lose my job, but depending on the circumstances, you make choices on the spot that you may not always agree with yourself

+2

I thought about this some and edited to add - This is an extremely hard question to answer. Yea, if I were single, just starting out I might buck the system a little more than now. Law enforcement is one of the few jobs around where you can get hired, gain experience, get some certificates under your belt, and go to another department only to start out at slightly more than rookie pay, and thats assuming you don't get blackballed when you are fired. That makes it hard to take a stand once you have been around a while. There is a line though that I am sure I would not cross. I am just glad that I have never been asked to cross that line.

**jmur5074** · 04-05-08, 08:31 AM

I'd probably keep my job.

But as has already been said, my decision would be based strongly on a case by case.

**Big Al** · 04-05-08, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by Terminator

In any given instance, would you rather do what's right and moral, and lose your job, or do something immoral (but legal & authorized by a supervisor), and keep your job?

Tough to say Term. Do you have scenario to give us to go with your question??

**Terminator** · 04-05-08, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Big Al

Tough to say Term. Do you have scenario to give us to go with your question??

Nothing specific, other than something work related. Let's say, involving you, a supervisor of any level, and a suspect.

**kjlaw** · 04-05-08, 10:28 AM

I would love to say that I would do the moral thing and yes under the right conditions most of us would, BUT anyone who has been in this line of work for any amount of time knows that sometimes we have to do things that we do not agree with and that may be morally wrong on some level.

I have found myself using the moral is different from criminal speech in domestic incidents quite often.

All of us have things that are hard line subject fore which we will not bend so each of us has to make those decisions for each case.

**narcodog** · 04-05-08, 10:43 AM

I have been there and done that and lost my job. It was and still is very devastating after many years. If you give up your integrity as an LEO you will lose the respect of everyone. It is a tuff road but life throws shit at you some time that you can't duck.

**Bob Loblaw** · 04-05-08, 12:09 PM

I remind myself every day when I'm putting my shit on to go to work of my 2 goals: 1) go home at the end of my tour and 2) do what is right. And by "right", I don't necessarily mean in terms of "policy and procedure" or "what will get me noticed by my bosses" or "what will benefit me the most." If I lose my integrity, then what am I worth? I'm no better than the piece of shit turd I'm trying to lock up forever. I hold myself (and LEOs in general) to a much, much higher standard than I do the general public. I know it's tough, but I expect myself to be above reproach. If choosing what is right gets me bounced from the job, then so be it. There's a lot of things I can do for a living that will enable me to sleep at night with the peace of mind that I did what it right no matter what.

This being said, I'd like to have an actual example of the moral conundrum of what we're talking about.

**The91Bravo** · 04-05-08, 01:51 PM

As a matter of fact, we just had two Deputies 'Resign' yesterday... When the private forums are opened, I'll share with you all...

Basic gist... they did a medium screw up.. lied... were asked, lied... were shown video... lied... and er um.. resigned.. left the team room in t-shirts

CPT told us, if they had just come clean, he could have fixed it... Bye Bye...

**Xiphos** · 04-05-08, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by Terminator

In any given instance, would you rather do what's right and moral, and lose your job, or do something immoral (but legal & authorized by a supervisor), and keep your job?

I'm more concerned with offending the creator of the universe than I am with offending my supervisor. If I have to pick, I'll pick God. If I lose my job over it I'll trust something else will come my way. I've seen enough times in my life where God said "No," to me and it was because he had something better in mind for me. That's not to say I'm perfect because I've made mistakes in the heat of the moment. But if I'm given a choice, "Do this immoral act now or you're fired," I'll kiss off the job.

Originally Posted by The91Bravo

Basic gist... they did a medium screw up.. lied... were asked, lied... were shown video... lied... and er um.. resigned.. left the team room in t-shirts

CPT told us, if they had just come clean, he could have fixed it... Bye Bye...

That's immoral and job lost. I have no sympathy for anyone who screws up and lies to cover their butts. I recently lost a good friend in this job because of this.

**bayern** · 04-05-08, 04:29 PM

Good question. Courts have held that you can lie to a suspect about the crime you are investigating. Immoral, yes, Legal, yes. Ya do what ya gotta do, and you live with what you did. Lie to keep your job? Nope. Lie to a dirtbag, Yup. Lie under oath?? NEVER NEVER NEVER.

Remember back in the early 80s, vice was doing an undercover and a cadet was being used. This was oks by the Chief and all, no problemo. The cadet was picked up by a male of doubious character and taken to a remote parkinjg lot, where as cadet gave the code word. Communications stucked and the cadet was getting a hummer by the time his backup showed up. The Sgt told him not to tell the Judge he was getting blowed, just propositioned. The cadet told the truth and the case was thrown out. The cadet did the right thing. Nothhg happined to either the cadet or the Sgt, even after an internal investigation beause the "gentleman" made a complaint.

Moral of this story. Don't lie for no one.

**MacLean** · 04-05-08, 04:31 PM

I've made this decision before and came out ok, I'll do the right thing again, too.

**PCSD722** · 04-05-08, 04:46 PM

We have an election coming up and if the "wrong" one wins then I am sure that I will be faced with this issue and it may be an issue of doing or not doing something that may not be legal after seeing how this person did things when they held a former office. I will hate to lose my job after 24 years but I gotta stay on the side of whats legal.

**Bob Loblaw** · 04-05-08, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by bayern

...and the cadet was getting a hummer by the time his backup showed up

greatest day in that cadet's life?

**E-man** · 04-05-08, 07:18 PM

Iam trying to think of a situation that something wrong is LEGAL and OK with the bosses but not good.
Getting a hummer on duty is illegal, testilying is ILLEGAL but lying to s suspect is ok and sometimes legal
What circumstances brought this on?

cant really answer but if its ok, and legal how can I lose my job.
Wait dont ask, sht happens all the time.

**Five-0** · 04-05-08, 07:43 PM

I clicked on the wrong choice in my vote....sorry. I try to look out for me and mine in this world. However, I can't look myself or my family in the eye when I come home what does it matter. I became a leo to try to add just an ounce of justice to this world when I got the chance. My priorities are God, Family, and Country in that order. Immoral activity offends my God and my Family. I serve one and Lead the other. Coming up short in either task is unacceptable to me or my very being. The fact that you are being faced with this decision should be considered a red flag Brad. This is especially true in our line of work. Romans 13:1-5 is not in my signature because I think it sounds cool. It is there because without I could not endure the trials that this calling presents. Call this post cheesy or whatever you want. It means this much to me because it is the essence of why I do this job. This is a heart to heart subject and you got a heart to heart answer.

**Wolven** · 04-05-08, 08:02 PM

My theory is that although this job is a calling of sorts for most of us that work it..it is still just that...a job. Sometimes the only thing we truly hold for ourselves is the morals and truths we hold. Would it sadden me to lose this job..yes. But I would rather be unemployed and be able to look at myself in the morning without regrets knowing that I kept my sense of honor by doing what is right.

**countybear** · 04-05-08, 08:06 PM

It is a strong moral compass which draws me to this job. I will cling to it, and with faith do that which it commands far above any order given me by man alone.