ETHICAL BEHAVIOR OF POLICE OFFICER AS OBSERVED BY SELECTED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY

This study is concern about the ethical behavior of police officers on how they think, act and speak as public servants and at the same time as a citizen of the Philippines. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reaction, observation, and satisfaction of the community on the professionalism and formality of police officers in the performance of duty, pursuant to several laws, policies and doctrines that enacted to serve as a guide for every PNP officers on their ethical behavior. Selected members of the community were assessed base on their observation with the ethical behavior of police officers. The community's knowledge of some of the police etiquette made them decisions whether the police satisfied their ethical standard. Therefore the police organization became aware on the community's expectations and reactions with their ethical behavior and provided police personnel with practical information in various human rights standards that would help the organization to strengthen its institutional commitment to legal, procedural, and moral precepts of policing. The researchers formulated an instrument that could measure the ethical behavior of the police. The findings of the study conclude that the members of the community trust the police officers of Lucena City and Pagbilao Quezon. They agree that police behave following the Philippine National Police ethical code of conduct. This study also shows that the community is satisfied with the ethical performance of their police officers and that they still believe that police officers still act professionally. Since the selected members of the community are satisfied for the ethical behavior of the police, they should follow the law and avoid to violate any of the rights of others, and that they should also behave according to the ethical standard of the society. For the police officers, although the community has a positive perception of their ethical behavior, they should maintain their good performance and still improve their professional conduct.