Police Subculture, Code of Silence, and Misconduct

Question 1

What is the average amount of time for an officer to commit misconduct?

Answer 1

10 years

Question 2

What are other names the Blue Code is known as?

Answer 2

-Blue shield
-Blue wall
-Curtain
-Veil
-Cocoon

Question 3

What is the blue code of silence?

Answer 3

An unwritten rule among officers in the US not to report on a colleague’s errors, misconducts, or crimes

Question 4

What is the social character of police shaped by?

Answer 4

Bravery, autonomy, and secrecy

Question 5

What is the dominant cultural theme?

Answer 5

The idea that the police are socially isolated from the rest of society

Question 6

What is the second important cultural theme (related to dominant culture)?

Answer 6

the need for police solidarity

Question 7

What question is asked in personality theory?

Answer 7

Does the police profession attract certain personality types?

Question 8

What question is asked in the anthropological model?

Answer 8

Does training form and shape personality types?

Question 9

What question is asked by the sociological theory?

Answer 9

Does police “street culture” influence and shape police culture?

Question 10

What instructions do postulates that reinforce the need for police secrecy and solidarity give?

Answer 10

Never “give up” another cop and watch out for other police

Question 11

Postulates that support police isolationism instruct police to do protect themselves by doing what?

Answer 11

Being wary of everyone

Question 12

What is the ethos of bravery (postulates instruct officers on this)?

Answer 12

Never back down; be aggressive but not overeager in handling situations

Question 13

What percent of individuals pressuring officers to keep quiet about misconduct were leaders?

Answer 13

73%

Question 14

What percent of academy recruits said that a law enforcement Code of Silence exists and is common?

Answer 14

79%

Question 15

What percent of academy recruits said that a Code of Silence doesn’t bother them?

Answer 15

52%

Question 16

What percent of academy recruits said that the Code of Silence is more justified when excessive force involves an abusive citizen?

Answer 16

24%

Question 17

What percent of academy recruits said that they wouldn’t tell on another officer for having sex on duty?

Answer 17

46%

Question 18

What percent of academy recruits said they wouldn’t tell on another cop for regularly using weed off duty?

Answer 18

23%

Question 19

What percent of the 509 officers who admitted to intentionally withholding information about misconduct were upper administrators?

Answer 19

8%

Question 20

What was the most frequent situation over which the Code of Silence occurs?

Answer 20

Excessive force

Question 21

Of the 532 who confessed they had participated in the Code of Silence, how many were pressured to keep quiet?

Answer 21

252

Question 22

Who is Donna Watts?

Answer 22

A female cop who detained a police officer that was going over the speed limit