Moral Compass for Law Enforcement Professionals

The executive team at the International Academy of Public Safety (IAPS) is proud to introduce this practical resource book designed specifically for the field of law enforcement. Replete with personal and professional experiences, proven best practices, and supported by evidence-based research, our book is not intended to be a how-to manual with step-by-step instructions - the lives of those in law enforcement rarely follow a blueprint. Rather, it is styled as a "go-to" moral compass intended to guide the overall thinking for those whose daily duties include serving and protecting the public. It is our belief that "every officer is a leader" and as such is expected to be a model of positive influence within the scope of his/her responsibility. We hope that referencing this guide will assist officers in ensuring that their actions reflect their police agency's mission, vision, philosophy, values, and school of thought. After much team reflection it seemed appropriate to introduce this book metaphorically as a "compass". By "compass" we mean a simple instrument that, with its northward facing needle, is a consistent and correct indicator of direction. By adding the word "moral" we hope to evoke a clear picture of those values that will always steer an officer in a virtuous direction. Some may argue that morals are situationally dependent, but as law enforcement officers our "moral compass" should always point in the same direction, no matter which way we turn, no matter who is (or is not) watching.