What would you do if you knew your partner or another fellow officer was a dirty cop?

Question

I know that telling on a fellow officer is a difficult thing but I think we all agree that sometimes it's necessary. After all, if you know an officer is constantly breaking the law to enforce the law and they put your life and reputation in jeopardy how can you trust this person to have your back?

I'm talking about the kind of person who steals evidence, uses confiscated drugs, and has shot at suspects just to scare them even when they were not armed or a threat to the rogue officer. They just push buttons to get a reaction from harmless suspects that did not commit a crime.

Also, would you really be comfortable sharing your most intimate details with a rogue badge and spending time talking with them about your personal life during breaks in patrol hours?

I do not find it easy to report a dirty fellow officer but what are the other options? I'm interested in hearing from other colleagues who have faced the same dilemma of honoring the code or doing the right thing.

I considered IA but as you know even IA has biased officers who talk. As a result I am sure that the information would get out and that eventually I would be marked and targeted for not honoring the code.

I understand your apprehension about his department service weapon but usually the offenses occur during off-duty hours with a personal sidearm that is not checked. Which only makes it harder to prove that anything ever happened.

To the poster odechiro, since you are not a police officer you cannot imagine that this decision is harder than you can imagine. Also, I agree with you that the officer has taken things too far by hassling innocent people but what you must understand is that everyone is a suspect until they prove otherwise. That's what keeps us alive. The difference is how each individual officer handles the interrogation.

Answer 1

Yeah, that's a hard decision: Not because you don't know the right answer, but because, as your partner, you've developed a (hopefully) good relationship with that person. But you KNOW the right answer. If you DON'T tell on your partner, then you're jeopardizing your OWN career. This might hurt your family as well.

Answer 2

I'm not a police officer and I have heard about the "Blue Wall of Silence" when it comes to exposing a fellow officer, but what we are talking about here is what the silence will do to your soul. What is the personal cost to your integrity for allowing a fellow officer, sworn to uphold the law, to continue to use his position as a police officer to get away with this sort of behavior? How would you feel about a dirty cop threatening a family member just to push buttons to get a reaction from a harmless suspect that did not commit a crime? And when is someone who did not commit a crime classified as a suspect? They're not suspects, they're innocent citizens being harassed by a police officer who has some psychological issues at best and can be dangerous to the public or his fellow officers, at worst.

Look, I know it's not easy to do the right thing - that's how you now it's the right thing. Tell someone you trust in a position of authority. If you can't trust anyone in the department, go to the District Attorney or talk to enough people who know someone who know someone who know someone who will listen. Do it anonymously, if you must, but tell. You'll sleep better.

You're asking but you already know the right thing to do. Good luck and my heart is with you.

Answer 3

i am not in any profession regarding law enforcement but i believe your question is more morally based.

If the partner in question does not break the law for a greater good and their actions result in no physical or emotional harm to an innocent (in western law that should include the suspect but sometimes that is questionable), it should therefore be classified as part of the officers duty in his protection of society. In this case the officer is apparently using his power as a law enforcement official to his own benefit, if this is so, i suggest that the law-abiding partner approach a more senior officer to help confront the partner, on their behaviour. also to request a change in partners to alleviate the strain between the two after the confrontation. If the higher ranking official is level-headed, this should prevent any harsh action against the partner but bring to their attention the consequences of their actions, it will also uphold the integrity of the law-abiding officer. This is a difficult situation, but you already know what you are going to do, you are just looking for confirmation...

Answer 4

Being an officer of the law is a particularly important job and we need to be able to have trust and respect for our policemen and women. If there is a dirty cop among us, then they need to be turned in. You are there to follow the law and protect the citizens you are representing. You also need to help your fellow officers be the best that they can be. A defective officer causes a black eye on the police force and sets them up for a sense of distrust and dishonor. Your life and reputation is at stake and his unethical and illegal behavior is the cause of it. He is making a choice to break the law and you are making a choice to protect and defend and honor your code of ethics. This is not only for you, it is for the entire fellowship of officers that are being represented that you need to do the right thing and turn him in. How can you trust someone who is so unethical that he would jeopardize the force, his partner, his community, his family and himself? He is a thief, a drug abuser and a defective police officer. You know what is the right thing to do; just do it. You will be relieved when it is over. Good luck!!

Answer 5

The most effective way is to request another partner.
All you have to say is that you have different styles of police work, that there is a personality difference.
BTW - all ammunition is issued to the Officer by his/her Department and is accounted for. A Police Officer who fires their service weapon on duty has to file a report, and fill out reams of paperwork, then they are investigated by IAD to see if it was a good shooting and within policy.
Based on that knowledge, I find it difficult to believe that the Officer in question is shooting at people "to get a reaction from innocent suspects."

Answer 6

You took an oath when you took your job. You have a duty and a responsibility to do what is right. If you don't (if you haven't already) turn him/her in, you run the risk of being pulled in deep and becoming a member of the "dark side". There's always the option of transferring to another dept. If I was assigned to work with you tomorrow, knowing that you'd ratted out a dirty cop, I'd be honored to work with you. I'd know that you are someone whom I can trust.

Answer 7

You absolutely MUST get internal affairs and the State government involved...

If not, you are just as guilty.

I'm sure other cops might be tempted to give you a hard time at first, but they will soon see which side of the line in the sand is the better to stand on... yours.

Answer 8

I would go to some one and report this. You might have to go out of your agency to report this. State, or Federal depending on how big the problem is. They could set up an investication, without having to include you. I believe if you know that someone is breaking the laws, and you are present, aren't you an excessary to the fact. I would not turn my back on someone like this, you could end up dead.

Answer 9

I'd hate to be in your shoes. Can you inform Internal Affairs and let them handle it? Act like you know nothing. Most officers stick up for each other even when one is rotten. That is certainly wrong! Why honor the code when when they have abused it?

Answer 10

No.. for me, since of my other past experiences. It's hard to trust and believe in what other people say.
Of course it would be uncomfortable. and I agree with you, it would be quite hard to do that to a fellow cop or a partner. But if you think it's the right thing to do.. then yeah, I would do it.
I'd also feel disappointed in them and just so upset =/