It could be argued that because of his character, Serpico cannot do anything but expose corruption. All of his life Serpico wanted to become a police officer for noble reasons. It because of his ethics and his humanity off the job (he loves dancing and dogs) officers like Green do not understand him. The job scars Serpico, and embitters him, supporting a deontological view of the world that suggests without ethics the souls of those who uphold the laws become too damaged to really do an effective job. The corrupt officers like Green do not care even when a suspected cop killer may go free, what they care about is getting extra money, and as much as possible. The rationalization of utilitarianism ultimately results in 'looking out for number one' rather than the 'greatest good' for the 'greatest number. The question arises as to what 'greatest good' and 'greatest number' the utilitarian is...
One cannot be ethical in the hopes of getting a reward like the corrupt get rewards through payoffs. Serpico is abandoned and shot by a drug dealer, deliberately by his partners -- so much for the blue wall of loyalty. Serpico survives and goes 'public' by testifying to a public commission on police corruption, but the life that he dreamt of on the police force has ended by virtue of exposing what he has seen. By striving to become the best and most ethical police officer possible, he is denied that chance, yet for the deontological ethicist, virtue must be its own reward.
Constitutional, Legal and Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice Police abuse remains one of the most serious and divisive human rights violations in the United States. The excessive use of force by police officers, including unjustified shootings, severe beatings, fatal chokings, and rough treatment, persists because overwhelming barriers to accountability make it possible for officers who commit human rights violations to escape due punishment and often to repeat their offenses. Police or
Frank Serpico -- NYPD Police Officer 1960-1972 At the time that Frank Serpico served as a New York City Police Department (NYPD) police officer, corruption was rampant throughout the entire police department, the first and largest police department in the United States (Delattre. 2006). That corruption existed at all levels of the department from the street to the office of the Police Commissioner. Patrol officers routinely extorted bribes or stole money
Lessons of Police Force A History of the United States Police Force The story of the American experience is one of principled laws that reflect the values of our society. Laws establish the boundaries of permissible conduct that guides particular aspects of interactions between individuals. While the military is generally tasked with countering large scale and organized external threats, the modern police force accomplishes the bulk of maintaining order and security
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