This document discusses personal interest and conflicts of interest for police officers. It defines key terms like bias, prejudice, self-interest and conflicts of interest. It provides examples of potential conflicts like outside employment or accepting gifts. The document recommends measures for police like disclosing assets, establishing ethics codes, and having independent complaint authorities to investigate misconduct in order to maintain integrity and transparency.

1. Personal Interest
and
Conflict of Interest

2. Presented by
Maj. Gen. Nilendra Kumar
Director
Amity Law School
Noida

3. Vertical Interaction Course,
Ethics and Accountability
in Police
3 February to 7 February 2014

4. KEY WORDS
1.PERSONAL INTEREST
2.SELF INTEREST
3.BIAS
4.PREJUDICE
5.CONFLICT
INTEREST
OF

5. Attributes of a Good Cop
1.
2.
3.
4.
Honesty
Integrity
Ethical morals
Self motivation

6. By training, experience and
requisite maturity an officer
develops the capacity to choose
between what would be
acceptable and what would invite
censure.

7. In other words, one has to take a
decision oneself.

8. A good police officer demonstrates
integrity, honesty, strong sense of
responsibility.

9. One’s reputation and image is built
over a length of time.

10. Reputation & integrity may need to
be very carefully protected by
actual and real performance.

11. Be open and transparent about
your personal interest.

12. Transparency
implies
openness, communication and
openness.

13. People placed in position of power
must take extra steps to ensure that
their private interest do not
compete with their professional
duties.

14. Laws are grounded on the nation
that government officials own
paramount loyally to the public
thus personal and private
considerations should not be
allowed to enter the decision
making process.

15. Bias is a feeling or attitude showing
leaning towards an area of life such
as politics, society, religion or
economics.

16. Bias
Bias may be defined as a preconceived opinion, or a predisposition or pre-determination to
decide a case or an issue in a
particular manner, so much so that
such pre-disposition does not leave
the mind open to conviction.

17. BIAS MEANS
INCLINATION OR
PREJUDICE

18. Bias is in fact a condition of mind
which sways judgments and
render the Judge unable to
exercise impartially in a particular
case.

19. Prejudice
means
irrational suspicion or hatred of a
particular group.

20. PREJUDICE
IS
A
NEGATIVE FACTOR.
IT
PROMOTES DISLIKE AND
HATRED, RESULTING IN
DIVIDE BETWEEN THE
PEOPLE.

21. A rational and objective approach is
free of bias or prejudice.

22. Self Interest
means
1. Selfish or excessive regard for
one’s personal advantage or
interest
2. Personal advantage or interest

23. Personal interest may also be said
to be the act or an instance of
perusing one’s own interest.

24. Personal interest carries a
negative connotation because it
shows regard for one’s own
interest or advantage; especially
with disregard for others.

25. PERSONAL
INTEREST
INCLUDES THE OFFICIAL
INTEREST AS WELL.

26. Conflict of Interest
definition
A situation that has the potential to
undermine the impartiality of a
person because of the possibility of
clash between the person’s self
interest and professional interest or
public interest

27. A conflict of interest is a set of
circumstances that creates a risk
that professional judgment or
actions regarding a primary interest
will be unduly influenced by a
secondary interest.

28. A conflict of interest occurs
when an individual ins involved
in multiple interests, one of
which could possibly corrupt
the motivation

29. A conflict of interest can create an
appearance of impropriety that can
undermine confidence in his
impartiality or sincerity.

30. A conflict of interest could impair
an individual’s ability to perform
his or her duties and
responsibilities objectively.

31. INTEREST TOWARDS
•ONE’S
SCHOOL
OR
UNIVERSITY
•ONE’S
COMMUNITY/CASTE
•ONE’S DISTRICT
•ONE’S
FINANCIAL
INTEREST

32. One may have strong dislike for a
political ideology, party, region,
community, caste, type of business
etc.

33. Often such dislike or hatred may be
purely on subjective considerations.

34. Forms of Conflict of Interest
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Self dealing
Outside employment
Family interest promotion
Gifts acceptance
Accepting bribes

35. Chetwode Motto
The safety, honour and welfare of
your country comes first, always
and every time. The honour and
welfare of the men you command
come next. Your own safety, honour
and welfare comes last, always and
every time.

36. Police officials must at regular
interval and frequently be asked
to disclose full details of their
assets, family members and their
employment.

37. Evidence of several side
businesses owned by police
officers.

38. Measures to Monitor Conflict of
Interest
1. Self policing
2. Lay down code of ethics and
ensure its compliance.
3. Threat of disciplinary action

39. Conflict of interest can arise in almost
any situation in which a police officer
becomes involved. Situations must be
clearly defined where a police officer’s
personal assets, affairs or interests
place him in a real, apparent or
potential conflict of interest with the
duties and responsibilities of the
department which would affect his
judgment.

40. Directive Five
Supreme Court of India
on Police Reforms
in Prakash Singh case
2006 (8). SCC 1
Set up a Police Complaints Authority
(PCA) at state level to inquire into
public complaints against police
officers of and above the rank of Dy.
Superintendent of Police in cases of
serious misconduct including

41. custodial death, grievous hurt or rape
in police custody and at district levels
to inquire into public complaints
against the police personnel below the
rank of Dy. Superintendent of Police in
cases of serious misconduct.

42. THE POLICE CODE OF
ETHICS
I
WILL
NEVER
ACT
OFFICIOUSLY
OR
PERMIT
PERSONAL
FEELINGS, PREJUDICES,
ANIMOSITIES
OR
FRIENDSHIPS
TO

43. I will keep my private life unsullied
as an example to all.

44. Recommendations

45. Initial monitoring prevention,
counselling and disciplining.

46. Old saying
Roko (Check)
Toko (Counsel)
Thoko (Discipline)

47. Create a cradle of leadership for
the police officers like National
Defence Academy or United States
Military Academy, West Point.

48. Remedial Measure
An investigation team that has been
specifically designed to look into
crimes by police officers and one
that is modelled after the Internal
Affairs division of police forces in
other countries

49. CONCLUSION