The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) changed its Code of Ethics for the first time since 1957, omitting the word "God."
Officers often recite the code when they are sworn in as law enforcement officers. In many cases, officers are terminated for violating the code, which is held as a standard around the world. The IACP has 31,000 members in 106 countries.
The IACP adopted the original code in 1957. In 2024, it decided to change it to be inclusive.
The original code promised to protect the weak from violence, while the new version focuses more on protecting the public from unnecessary force and harming community members.
However, the most controversial change is at the end of the code.
"I will constantly strive to achieve these principles, dedicating myself to my chosen profession… policing," it reads.
The original code stated, "dedicating myself before God." That part has been removed.
While departments may use the IACP as a guideline and add "God" back into the code, some are concerned that taking God out of policing is a bad move.
"You see what happened when they took God out of schools," said one Alabama patrol police officer who wished to remain anonymous. "Now they're taking God out of policing and you know what that means."
Mobile mayoral candidate and former police chief Paul Prine is a man of faith. He found himself calling to God in October 2001 after he was shot three times in the line of duty. As he lay on the ground, convinced he would die, he turned to Jesus Christ for salvation.
While he understands not everyone has the same faith and some do not believe in a higher power, he believes swearing to an oath of office to uphold the highest standards requires a higher power.
"What you are essentially doing as a police officer is you're swearing to an authority much higher than yourself that you will uphold the highest standards of character and integrity," Prine said. "And by removing that for the sake of appeasement, you're making a pledge or an oath to nothing."
Prine said that without God, the oath is null.
"So, it is concerning for them to remove it under the premise of inclusivity," he said. "We are negating the fact of what the oath of office truly represents and that is that every member of the law enforcement community swears to a faith or to a deity or to a standard higher than their own way of thinking or their own morality."
"That is the whole point of the code of ethics and if we can't have a standard that is higher than man's own belief system, then we don't have a standard at all," Prine continued.
Prine believes the majority of officers subscribe to God or a god, but he said it is important to maintain the integrity of the Code of Ethics, even for those who do not.
"I think that's the most important part is whether we believe in God or don't believe in God, the idea is that we are all saying that the Code of Ethics is what is important to us," he added. "An officer that has professional standards at the highest regards to live above reproach to keep his or her personal life unsullied, so their reputation is not tarnished as they enforce the laws of society."
Still, another officer who asked to remain anonymous told 1819 News he believed removing God from the Code of Ethics was an organized strategy to destroy society as we know it.
"You see it everywhere and in every aspect," the officer said. "Law enforcement agencies by nature work on God's law and that is our standard. Now we are left devoid and depraved."
"The more we reject God and the more we remove him, the worse we are and the more that the Marxists continue to work harder and harder. We are setting ourselves up for destruction."
The following compares the new Code of Ethics to the former version. The previous version is in italics:
As a sworn officer, my fundamental duty is to serve the community by safeguarding lives and property against threats that could take advantage of or harm members of my community or otherwise impact peace and order. I will uphold the Constitution and honor the rights of all to life, liberty, equality, and justice. I will never employ unnecessary force. I will respect the privacy of people and communities that I serve, and I will fully obey the laws that I am sworn to enforce.
As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind - to safeguard lives and property, to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder, and to respect the Constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality and justice.
I will live by example, remembering that my character and conduct, on-duty and off, directly influence the legitimacy of the policing profession. I will exercise self-restraint and maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, and ridicule and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others as well as my own well-being.
I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all; maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed in both my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty.
I will never act officiously or permit bias or personal gain to influence my decisions. I will strive to protect the vulnerable from harm. If this fails, I will seek to identify and apprehend offenders, professionally and appropriately holding them to account. I will not solicit or accept any gifts, bribes, or anything of value from any person or entity that may create a perception of benefit or influence my performance as a public servant.
I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities, or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.
I recognize my shield of office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of police service. I will not engage in or condone acts of corruption, take advantage of circumstances for personal gain, or accept gratuities, and I promise to intervene when met with any unjustifiable acts by members of my profession. I will cooperate with all legally authorized agencies and their representatives in the pursuit of justice.
I know that I alone am responsible for my own professional performance and conduct and will take every reasonable opportunity to enhance and improve my level of knowledge and competence.
I will constantly strive to achieve these principles, dedicating myself to my chosen profession… policing.
I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the police service. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession...law enforcement."
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