How are police officers expected to act when they gather evidence or apprehend criminals?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Police officers must act within the law when gathering evidence in a criminal case. This means that they must recognize that a suspect has constitutional rights. This also implies that they must have a
professional knowledge of constitutional and criminal law. Failure to abide by constitutional
protections for a citizen would result in a number of negative consequences. For example, an
individual who in fact committed an illegal act might not be prosecuted if it is showed that evidence
was secured in an illegal manner. When this occurs it demonstrates unprofessional behavior on the
part of the police officer and may bring about a negative image of the officer and the department
especially if such unprofessional conduct is publicized by the media. It may also cause other
individuals within the criminal justice system such as defense lawyers, prosecutors, jurors, and
judges to lose confidence in the police. In addition, it is important to note that objectivity is a key
factor in conducting an investigation because it causes an officer to become more successful in
analyzing the evidence. An officer should never allow personal opinions or biases to enter into a
case, but rely on the reality of a situation involving a criminal investigation to make a judgment.