Sunil Dutta

In the following viewpoint, Sunil Dutta argues that the media overgeneralize when they use one corrupt police officer to illustrate department-wide abuse. When departments discover corrupt officers, he contends, they should be disciplined swiftly. Dutta also asserts that police need to be held to higher moral standards than the general population. Dutta is a police officer in the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Valley Division.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is the author’s background?
2. Why did the author join the Los Angeles Police Department?
3. What elements of police work affect the humanity of officers, according to Dutta"

The past few weeks [of October 1999] have not been good for the Los Angeles Police Department [LAPD]. But just how pervasive are corruption and misconduct among police officers...