Being a Patrol Officer Involves a Daily Onslaught of Choices

question 24

Essay

Being a patrol officer involves a daily onslaught of choices involving discretion. Imagine you are a patrol officer at an overtaxed department in a major city. It is the middle of February, and a nasty flu has taken out a quarter of your patrol officers. As a result, you've had to take on double shifts, which are technically not allowed by your department for more than three days in a row. It's been your fourth day and you are exhausted. It's a slow day and there's a place near a large cemetery where you can park and take a quick nap, which might help you clear your head and also keep you from getting sick. How do you determine whether to taking such a nap would be ethical?

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Definitions:

Intervening Variable

A hypothetical variable used to explain the relationship between variables, mainly in psychological research.

Food Deprivation

The condition of being without enough food to eat, which can lead to malnutrition and a host of physical and cognitive issues.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms that serve as a major energy source for the body.

Behaviorists

Psychologists who focus on observable behavior and the ways in which learning influences behavior, often through the principles of conditioning.