Values are what guide an agency and its employees. Law enforcement agencies will have differing values depending on their function. An agency that investigates wildlife infractions may possess different values from correctional services.

Let’s take a look at various law enforcement agencies and the values they identify as being important on their websites.

Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA)

• Integrity
  • We exercise our authority in an honest, open and fair manner.
  • We accept responsibility for our actions in order to build and maintain a reputation of trustworthiness and accountability.
• Respect
  • We serve the public interest through non-partisan support of our Minister.
  • We show the utmost appreciation for the dignity, diversity and worth of all people and uphold the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
  • We develop and sustain mutual trust with our colleagues.
• Professionalism
  • We employ public resources wisely and properly.
  • We provide efficient, competent and excellent service.
  • We set high standards of achievement and accountability both individually and collectively.

BC Corrections^[1]

• Integrity
  • Taking responsibility for our actions
  • Understanding how our actions can affect others
• Courage
  • Doing what’s right and staying positive, not popular
  • Trying something new, risking failure
  • Leading by example
• Teamwork
  • Coming together in times of crisis
  • Mentoring
  • Working with people in other departments for a common purpose
• Passion
  • Sharing creative solutions with the leadership team
  • Demonstrating pride in what we do
  • Attempting to perform at a level we would expect of others
• Service
  • Maintaining respectful relationships
  • Working effectively with our justice partners
  • Doing our job really well
• Curiosity
  • Listening to new ideas
  • Challenging the way we do business and being willing to try new ideas
  • Seeking a better way to achieve our goals 
• Accountability
  • Being responsible for any action we take, and believing in ourselves
  • Taking ownership for our actions
  • Providing effective leadership and direction to our teams

Vancouver Police Department

The Vancouver Police Department has four core values, which they refer to as IPAR:

• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Accountability
• Respect 

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) ^[2]

Recognizing the dedication of all employees, we will create and maintain an environment of individual safety, well-being and development. We are guided by:

• Integrity
• Honesty
• Professionalism
• Compassion
• Respect
• Accountability

When applying for a job with any law enforcement agency, it is important that the applicant understands the core values of that agency. The Vancouver Police website succinctly addresses the importance of knowing the agency’s stated core values and demonstrating a life lived where these values have been incorporated in day-to-day living:

These core values can’t be taught in any school, and they are non-negotiable for our applicants. Without these, it would be impossible to have a successful career with the VPD.

Values are not solely limited to what the agency believes are core values, but also include one’s personal and outside values. (Caldero and Crank, 2004). For example, applicants to the Vancouver Police Department should be aware of the agency’s values and demonstrate how they have incorporated these values into their everyday personal and professional life.

We are inclined to have similar values that are shared among other members of the agency. Values are important for law enforcement officers and should be shared and agreed upon by all members. These imparted values are concentrated throughout the agency and become part of the agency’s culture. Working with various constituents and members of other agencies also requires officers to consider their values. The Canadian Border Services Agency articulates the full integration of values from various sectors of society in its values statement, which reads:

Values are a compass that guides us in everything we do; they represent what we believe and care about. Values cannot be considered in isolation from each other as they often overlap. We are expected to integrate public sector and CBSA values into our decisions, actions, policies, processes, systems, and how we deal with others. Similarly, we can expect to be treated in accordance with these values by our colleagues and management.

Let’s review a situation of differing values in a law enforcement case. As illustrated in the table below, in the case of an active shooter at a theatre, individuals involved in the shooting will have differing values.

Each person will have his or her own interests and goals, which reflect the values that are important to them at the time. The mother with her child is primarily concerned with the safety of her child, and must show caring to her child and the fortitude to protect her child in the face of danger. Conversely, the follow-up detectives sent to investigate the shooting have goals that include conducting a thorough investigation. They may share some of the values that the mother possesses, but for the investigation, they will likely possess values of accountability to the mother and other victims, as well as have empathy for all the victims’ families. When the situation changes, so too do the values that we possess.

The Ethics Resource Center (2009), located in Arlington, Virginia, identifies the following values as typical values that appear throughout codes of ethics. These are important for us to remember when faced with difficult ethical decisions where we are required to be aware of all the values of each of the vested stakeholders. Some ethical values include:^[3]