Police Corruption and Citizen’s Ethical Dilemma Essay

No matter how sad it is to acknowledge the fact that bribery is an integral part of a man’s life, it is still obvious that even in the country where democracy is the key principle of life, one can face the situations when officials, to be more precise, policemen in the give case, demand bribes. Once learning the ways to act in the given situation, one must take a closer look at the circumstances and check for all the possible solutions.

The problem in the given case is the dilemma that the father faces; at first glance, he is left only with two options, which are either going against his morals to save his son, or to deal with the issue in a proper way, sacrificing his son’s health.

There are three key stakeholders in the given situation, which are the policemen, who set the terms; the father, who is to take the pivoting decision; and the family, who depends on the decision which the father is going to take.

Speaking of the solutions to the given problem, one must mention that there is more than one option for the person entrapped in the realm of corruption. However, it is also worth noting that some of the actions might have undesirable consequences. To start with, the idea of paying the money and leaving the place is the first thing that pops into one’s head. However, as a result, the father will turn out as morally corrupted as the two policemen. Another solution will be standing his ground going to the police station. However, it is worth noting that the well-being of the child is at stake. Therefore, the given solution does not seem reasonable, either. The third option can be appealing to the police’s humanity and sense of pity, explaining them the situation with the sick child and asking them to let the father go. Rather humiliating, this method is quite unlikely to drive to any results and can make the policemen even more frustrated and wanting for even more money.

Finally, the father can go for broke and saying something really unexpected that will baffle the policemen and will give him the chance to take a narrow escape. For instance, the father can say that he had the camcorder in his mobile phone on and he had been filming everything. An alternative way of settling the situation in a more subtle yet reckless manner will be to make the policemen say what exactly they want, e.g.., “As far as I understand, you want me to give you a bribe, sir?” This approach can give the policemen the idea that the father has a camcorder on, and they are likely to let him go.

Therefore, it is clear that there is no panacea for the given situation. Despite the fact that bribery not only goes against the rules of the law, but also gradually makes both the offended and the offending party morally bankrupt, it is still a sad yet integral part of the modern realty, which means that it must be struggled with. It is quite hard to believe, though, that bribery can be wiped out of the face of the Earth completely; however, it is still worth a try to make the world a better place.