Protector or predator? - Institute for Security Studies

Protector or predator?
But, if a police official commits theft that does not rely on police authority (for
example from a colleague, or while off-duty), then this would be seen as an act of
criminal theft rather than one of corruption.
Another distinction between contemporary and older definitions is that
earlier definitions contained an implication that the purpose behind the abuse of
official power was personal or private gain. Contemporary definitions recognise
gains that might not be immediately personal or private. 6 For example Syed and
Bruce define police corruption as ‘any illegal conduct or misconduct involving the
use of occupational power for personal, group or organisational gain’. 7
This definition includes abuses of power that are perceived to be advantageous
for the unit or police agency as a whole. An example would be planting
Table 1 Types and dimensions of police corruption 10
Type
Corruption of
authority
Internal
payoffs
‘Kickbacks’
Opportunistic
theft
‘Shakedowns’
Protection of
illegal activities
‘The fix’
‘Flaking’ or
‘padding’
Direct criminal
activities
Typical situation
Receiving some form of material gain by virtue of an official’s position in the
police but without violating the law per se (e.g free drinks, meals, services)
Prerogatives available to police officials (holidays, shift allocations,
promotions) are bought, bartered or sold
Receipt of goods, services or money for referring business to particular
individuals or companies (e.g police referrals of recently arrested suspects to
defence lawyers in exchange for a portion of the fee paid by the suspect)
Stealing from arrested suspects, from crime victims (who may be
disorientated, unconscious or dead) or from crime scenes (e.g burgled
homes or jewellery stores)
Acceptance of a bribe for not following through on a criminal violation, such
as failing to make an arrest, failing to file a complaint, or failing to conduct a
search or seize contraband
Police protection of those engaged in illegal activities (e.g sex work, illegal
selling of drugs, illegal selling of liquor, illegal gambling)
Undermining of criminal investigations or proceedings through losing or
failing to collect evidence and/or selling of dockets
Planting of, or adding to, evidence to secure a conviction or increase a
sentence
Committing any crime against a person or property by virtue of the official’s
police knowledge or the opportunity presented by his or her job (e.g.
murder, rape, armed robbery, theft)
6
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