Ethical Police (EEPO): A narrative-ethnographic research of ethical principles, conflicts, and competence in preventive police work

Ethical decisions are embedded in everyday working life, even though they often become visible only through extreme cases that reach public attention. In policing, the importance of ethics is particularly pronounced, as the police have the authority to restrict citizens’ freedom and to make independent decisions in everyday work, a strong mandate to build trust with diverse population groups, and a central role in preventing crime and social problems. In Finland, there has so far been relatively little research on the ethics of police work. In working life, (un)ethical practices tend to develop almost unnoticed through everyday processes of socialisation and learning, becoming part of employees’ competence and action.

In this project, which brings together adult education and the sociology of work, we examine ethical work in Finnish policing by focusing, from a deontological ethical perspective, on the ethical principles and conflicts of police work as well as on the development of ethical competence. The aim of the project is to investigate:

1. how ethics is understood, taken into account, or overlooked in police practice, and
2. how ethical competence is constructed in police work and education.

Guided by a narrative-ethnographic research strategy, the project draws on a rich qualitative dataset consisting of interviews, mobile diaries, empathy-based stories, and field diaries, which will be analysed using qualitative methods. The perspective on ethics is provided by police officers, police students, and representatives of key police stakeholders. The four-year research programme is organised into five thematic work packages.

The research findings will be published in national and international journals in the fields of education, social sciences, and police studies. The project will be carried out in close collaboration with a national, multidisciplinary steering group and an international advisory board. International research visits, conference participation, and seminars organised in Finland, together with national media communication, will enable the broad utilisation and dissemination of the project’s results.