Situational Judgement and Ethics Flashcards

You are assigned to investigate a complaint against an officer who is also a close personal friend. What is the most ethical course of action?

Answer: Disclose the relationship and recuse yourself from the investigation

Personal relationships create real or perceived conflicts of interest that require recusal to protect the integrity of the investigation.

A suspect in custody requests access to a lawyer but your shift supervisor suggests delaying the call until after questioning. What do you do?

Answer: Ensure the suspect's right to counsel is facilitated immediately and document any pressure to delay

The right to retain and instruct counsel without delay is a constitutional right; no supervisory instruction overrides it.

You receive an anonymous tip that a fellow officer is operating a side business that may conflict with department policies. What is the appropriate first step?

Answer: Report the information to Professional Standards or your supervisor for proper review

Anonymous tips about potential misconduct should be forwarded to the appropriate unit for assessment rather than investigated informally or ignored.

A victim tells you they do not want criminal charges laid against their abuser because they believe the abuser has changed. What should primarily guide your decision on charges?

Answer: The evidence, applicable law, and Crown charging guidelines rather than solely the victim's wishes

Charging decisions in domestic violence cases are guided by evidence and policy, not solely victim preference, to protect public safety.

You learn through social media that a colleague has posted content that is derogatory toward a minority group. The posts were made on a personal account. What should you do?

Answer: Report the conduct to your supervisor or Professional Standards as it may constitute discreditable conduct

Officers are held to conduct standards both on and off duty; publicly posted content reflecting bias can constitute discreditable conduct regardless of the platform.

During a search, you find a large amount of cash but no drugs or weapons. The suspect claims the money is legitimate savings. What is the most appropriate action?

Answer: Document the discovery, assess it in context of all evidence, and apply civil forfeiture law only where legally supported

Cash alone does not establish criminality; officers must apply forfeiture law judiciously based on the totality of evidence.

A newspaper reporter approaches you at a crime scene and asks for details about the victim's identity before next-of-kin have been notified. What do you do?

Answer: Decline to release identifying information until next-of-kin have been notified, per standard protocol

Next-of-kin notification is an ethical and procedural obligation that takes precedence over media requests for victim identification.