Chapter 10: Public v. Private Policing: The Ethical Dilemma
Chapter 10: Public v. Private Policing: The Ethical Dilemma
Abstract
This section furthers the discussion in preceding chapters of individual liberty and ethics and the private versus public policing discussion.
Introduction
Policing in the United States has undergone a metamorphosis since its inception. The Metropolitan Police Acts of 1829 in England had begun the modeling of modern day policing in this country. The Acts provided a blue print and policing in this country has been in a transformational period since. The primary reason for change generally surrounded protection of citizens (Urbanization), service delivery, crime, and global issues. These restructuring exercises have been expedited in the last thirty years, specifically due to the indoctrination of technology in society.
Public policy must be responsive to the needs of its citizenry. With recent special crimes such as Identity Theft, Cyber Stalking, Cyber Bullying, and most notable the 2016 Presidential election whereby a foreign government may have had influence on the elections. In concert with mitigating illegal acts through cyber technology rises the issue of individual privacy rights. Further complicate the enforcement with Constitutional concerns such as guarding against unreasonable intrusion by government into private citizen person, places and effects.
Enter into this discussion, private security and public policing. Although both often find themselves providing similar service or tasks, they do contrast each other in very distinctive practices. I have frequently been asked about “Big Brothers” over reach. I must ask whom are they speaking? More often than not, the response is government. The following link provides information relative to the two enterprises. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/247182.pdf
The ordinary person that purchases a cellular telephone instructively clicks on the “Accept” button indicating that the person agrees with the privacy of information and additional requirements by the supplying company. I suggest that the reader of this material has not taken the time to read the small print. Rather they click accept so they have that article of instant gratification in their hot little hand. The same is generally holds true with most social media packages.
Protecting Privacy and Individual Liberties
“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” ~ George Bernard Shaw. Ergo if enforcement is going to demonstrate progress in light of new technologies and citizen complacency then the collaboration of private and public entities must be realized. Big brother is not government but rather those that citizens have willy-nilly provided their private information. Private companies have almost exclusively insinuated a pact of information protection between the customer and the service deliver, such as Google, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. However, at the moment a person loses her/his identity through th