Résumé
"As the document clearly delineates, the subject matter for
consideration is wide-ranging both in scope and complexity.
As this quotation implies, the issue of off-duty conduct is one which touches all police
officers and is of importance to every police department. It is also one on which the opinions are
as diverse as the police community itself.
However, what has emerged from the views expressed by respondents is a general
agreement that there are certain types of behaviour that are viewed as totally inappropriate and
should be sanctioned.
Where the divergence occurs is where to draw the line between acceptable and
unacceptable off-duty conduct, and to what extent a police department should be permitted to
regulate the lives of its members when they are not on duty.
One message that has emerged is that the focus should be on ensuring that the
occurrences of misconduct by off-duty police officers become fewer by instilling in them strong
ethical standards.
Some have suggested the creation of a universally accepted code of ethics, which would
form the basis for training across the country. The importance of training on ethics has been
stressed - from recruit training to courses throughout the careers of police officers."--Pages 11, 12.