Hey everyone and thanks for returning to week two of my blog. This week I’d like to talk about an issue that a local police department has been dealing with.  That department is responsible for policing the city of Lakeland, Florida.   The Lakeland Police Department has been besieged by what has to seem like an avalanche of either bad luck or lack of leadership. 

In case you haven’t heard what’s been occurring in the City of Lakeland please watch the clip below which will give you some quick insight on the problems that Lakeland is facing. 

As you saw the Lakeland P.D. is dealing with an issue that just doesn’t seem to go away.  Over the course of the last year or so they have had to fire numerous officers.  Many others have been forced into early retirement.  This entire issue encompasses one department employee who felt pressured into having sexual relations with a number of sworn law enforcement officials.  As a fellow officer it would be naïve of me to say that this does not occur in the workplace.  It does and it happens all the time.  What I would add however is that when it occurs there are always whispers.  These whispers often foretell of sexual relations between employees.  When these relationships are seen as inappropriate there are always rumors of what is occurring.  I can only speculate, but I have to assume that if this were the case at my department it was most certainly the case with the Lakeland Police Department.

If all of the above is true, then how can the public still have trust in the Lakeland Police?    How can behavior such as this go un-noticed?  How can the public believe that no one with the department knew what was going on?  The simple answer is that it’s just not possible.  From my experience there had to have been a large number of individuals who knew what was taking place.  These individuals were either part of this outrageous behavior or they were complicit in it by not reporting what was occurring to their superiors.  Regardless of the outcome there seems to be an ongoing ethical dilemma occurring within the walls of the Lakeland Police Department. 

In the end, ten Lakeland Police officers lost their jobs over this scandal.  Many others received formal discipline and still others were implicated, but were never formally charged with any violations.  The woman at the center of the scandal was ultimately fired and has recently filed a lawsuit against the City of Lakeland.  This sad and unfortunate chapter for the City of Lakeland is nearing a close.  The question I pose as I conclude this week’s posting is this: How can these types of scandals be avoided in the future?  Can this be accomplished by providing ongoing ethical training courses?  Should supervisors be held responsible when their subordinates violate the ethical standards set forth by their agency?  I hope to answer these questions and many more in the weeks to come.