A law enforcement officer of bad character has little to no sense of ethics. Such a person could best be considered a criminal – the worst kind because they have used their position of public trust to exploit the public. An example of a law enforcement officer with bad character would be breaking and entering and stealing while appearing to protect.

A law enforcement officer of uncontrolled character has little sense of ethics. They may appear to do a good job and fit in well with other officers of higher character. When worse comes to worse they will be the first to abandon their posts. When presented with the opportunity they may take bribes or engage in other criminal activities. An example of an officer with uncontrolled character would be the officers in New Orleans who left their jobs during Hurricane Katrina, or an officer who accepted a bribe from a speeding truck driver.

A self controlled officer has a good sense of ethics. They will do a good job. They may start out having high ethical standards but, may eventually grow tired of seeing some criminals get away with crimes. With experience will come temptation – they will know how criminals get away with crimes and might be tempted to engage in illegal activities, but will be brought back by their underlying sense of responsibility.

An law enforcement of excellent character has the highest of ethical standards. They perform their jobs well and are/should be leaders. These officers possess a clear knowledge of right and wrong, and tow the line. They abide by the laws and procedures related to search and seizure and respect civil rights. They abide by department regulations even those that my seem trivial to others. An example of excellent character would be refusing a bribe and reporting the attempt and paying full price for a cup of coffee.

APA Citation:
Smith, Nathan. M. (2006). Delattre’s Four Classifications of Character.
Retrieved September 8, 2008, from http://www.computer-forensic-technician.com/wordpress/delattres-four-classifications-of-character/.