LAW ENFORCEMENT ETHICS AWARD
The FBI NEIA Law Enforcement Ethics Award takes on a new level of significance in light of these turbulent times in law enforcement amid charges of police brutality. This award provides an opportunity to tell a positive side of law enforcement by recognizing officers who serve as role models in our communities by choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over popularity. All major law enforcement agencies have officers who maintain high ethical standards and this is a time to share their stories. Please submit your nomination for the Law Enforcement Ethics Award by completing the form below.
The FBI National Executive Institute Associates (NEIA) annual Law Enforcement Ethics Award honors a law enforcement officer who has maintained the highest ethical standards in performing his or her responsibilities by consistently displaying the following core values:
Integrity – Is a role mode lfor the community demonstrating high moral and ethical standards. Is honest and sincere in dealing with others, and ensures the public trust;
Respect – Values cultural diversity and treats all people with compassion, tolerance and dignity;
Fairness – Is committed to upholding the constitutional rights of all people in an objective and impartial manner. Treats people with courtesy and avoids discrimination based on race, sex, age, gender or gender identity.
Service – Insists upon the highest standards of professional performance and demonstrates personal dedication in improving the quality of life in the community
2020 Ethics Award Winners
This is the second year for the FBI NEIA Ethics Award. This year the recipients of the 2020 FBI National Executive Institute Associates’ Law Enforcement Ethics Awards are retired Chief Carmen Best, Seattle Police and Officer David W. Griffin, DeKalb County, GA. Police Department.
The FBI NEIA Law Enforcement Ethics Award honors a law enforcement officer who has maintained the highest ethical standards in performing his or her responsibilities by consistently displaying the core values of Integrity, Respect, Fairness, and Service.
Carmen Best, Chief Ret, Seattle Police Department
Chief Best was born in Tacoma, Washington. She is a veteran of the United States Army and graduated from Western Illinois University with a Bachelor’s degree and from Northeastern University with a Master’s degree. In 1992, she joined the Seattle Police Department. In over 26 years with the department, she served in patrol, school safety, media relations, narcotics, robbery and gangs.
She is a graduate of several law enforcement leadership programs including the FBI National Academy and the FBI National Executive Institute. She advanced through the ranks serving as Assistant Chief and was appointed Chief of the Seattle Police Department in 2018.
It is noted that the NEIA has in the past favored provided the Ethics Award to line or supervisory level personnel. However, it is believed that Chief Best is especially deserving of this award for her steady, extraordinary, highly ethical leadership of the Seattle Police Department from May to September 2020.
In real world leadership situations, ethics is not about self-righteously proclaiming that you are a leader. Ethics is about consistently doing the right at the right time for the right reasons even when that is difficult or involves risk. Ethics is about navigating the proper way forward for the organization and making hard choices as those choices arise.
That is exactly what Chief Carmen Best achieved over the past year and especially in a time of challenge and controversy that occurred between May and September.
During this time, large scale peaceful demonstrations took place in Seattle. Chief Best and her personnel showed appropriate respect in their approach to these demonstrations. This is consistent with her long advocacy for thoughtful and equitable policing as a means of healing America’s unresolved racial divide.
Things became more difficult when rioting and destruction took the place of peaceful protest. They became more difficult still when city government approved/accepted creation of the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” where both police presence and police authority was resisted.
There were those who called for immediate forceful intervention in the area. And there were those who demanded a “hands-off” policy.
Chief Best was faced with competing demands from all sides while Seattle became a daily national news story variously portrayed as an example of ruthless police oppression or as a city in the grips of anarchy.
Chief Best walked through a political and logistical minefield to balance often inconsistent city government direction with her concerns over the safety and well-being of citizens and her personnel.
In the midst of controversy which played out at the national, state, and local levels, she took a strong position of centered reason and balance. She resisted efforts to allow those in the city-sanctioned autonomous zone to further undermine safety and order. She stood by the righteous conduct of her personnel in the face of political doubt and hostility.
She had the moral audacity to believe in and advocate for balance and rejected extreme solutions. Her efforts were met with challenges and even derision from every direction including misguided demands from the Seattle City Council. Through a gauntlet of political threats to reduce budgets and divert or undermine her leadership, she remained steady and strong.
She showed proper respect for her established chain of command and ultimately, she showed respect for the mission and values of her agency, for the safety of citizens and for the well-being of her officers. Her conduct reflected the best aspects of dignity, responsibility, and ethical conduct in American policing.
Eventually, as a matter of conscience, when city government’s approach to the Department became increasingly untenable, Chief Best developed a transition plan and honorably resigned her position.
In taking the moral high ground rejecting extreme solutions in the midst of crisis; for keeping her agency focused on its mission while being sorely challenged from all sides; for her advocacy of doing the right thing by all concerned; and, ultimately, for drawing an ethical line and honorably stepping down from her position, Chief Carmen Best is deserving of the FBI NEIA Law Enforcement Ethics Award.
Officer David Griffin #3445, Uniform Division/South Precinct, DeKalb County, GA. Police Department
On October 7, 2019, Officer Griffin was working the screening desk at South Precinct. He was handling a dispatched priority call in reference to a missing “19-year” old male. The complainant on the call was an uncle, who wanted to report his nephew missing.
Rather than just taking the information and writing a police report, Officer Griffin went a step further and asked for a phone number for the nephew. Officer Griffin called the phone number provided and was able to make contact with the missing nephew. Officer Griffin introduced himself to the nephew and explained that his uncle had called the police because he didn’t know his whereabouts and was worried about his safety. After hearing that his uncle was concerned about him, the nephew began to cry.
Officer Griffin continued speaking with the nephew and was able to develop a rapport with him. During their conversation, Office Griffin was able to learn that the nephew was in a church parking lot in Savannah, Georgia. The nephew told Officer Griffin that he “wanted to look at the beach at Tybee Island before he killed himself.” The nephew stated that he was in the church parking lot “making my peace”.
Officer Griffin continued communication with the nephew in order to keep him distracted from negative thoughts, while he notifies a supervisor without the nephew knowing. The supervisor was able to coordinate with the Savannah Police Department to dispatch an officer to the nephew’s location. Office Griffin remained on the phone with the nephew the entire time and gained his trust. Officer Griffin was able to get the nephew to talk about his favorite hobby of photography. Shortly thereafter, the Savannah Police Department arrived on scene and met with the nephew who was subsequently transported and admitted to Memorial Medical Hospital for treatment.
Officer Griffin remained in contact with the uncle while his nephew was getting treatment. A few days after the incident, the nephew was discharged from the hospital and was doing well. The uncle invited Officer Griffin to his residence where he was able to meet and talk with his nephew. The nephew expressed his appreciation for Officer Griffin. Officer Griffin stated that he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of gratitude and felt blessed that he was able to help in such an arduous time in this young man’s life.
This incident is a clear example of Officer Griffin demonstrating the core values of Integrity, Respect, Fairness, and Service that represent FBI NEIA ETHICS Award.
Past Ethics Award Winners
2019 FBI NEIA Ethics Award Winners
- Anthony Rogers, Kansas City Missouri PD;
- Gabriel Betanzos, Long Beach Police Department;
- Naomi Broughton, Deputy Chief, Charleston Police Department;Frederick
- Washington, New York City Police Department;
- Jerome Pacarro, Sergeant, Honolulu Police Department