NYPD Whistleblower Retaliation – Detective Labeled A Rat

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In 2005 NYPD Detective, first grade, James E. Griffith called internal affairs to report he was being pressured by a fellow officer to lie and take the blame during an internal inquiry for the mishandling of a homicide investigation by his unit (Goldstein, 2012). Another detective and union official claimed in his deposition that Griffin was a rat because he went to internal affairs instead of the union (Marzulli, 2013). According to the United States District Court Eastern District of New York’s memorandum of decision the retaliation was immediate, included adverse personnel actions and continued though out his career in different units until Detective Griffith was effectively forced to retire due to the harassment in 2009 (James Griffin v. the City of New York, n.d.). Griffin eventually filed a legal sit against The City of New York, the NYPD and two of the officers involved individually. This case study will analyze the incident, whistleblower laws and the ethical challenges involved. While Griffin does not reveal information that endangers public health or safety, he does disclose illegal and inefficient activities within his own organization. Bowman states the ideal case for a whistleblower to reveal such information would be when the cause is just and where all administrative appeals have been exhausted (Bowman, 1980). In my opinion, the cause is just - as the other detective, that asked Griffith to lie regarding the incident, not only crossed ethical boundaries but also legal ones. However, because there is no mention of Griffith reporting the incident to his superiors prior to reporting the incident to internal affairs, I do not think Detective Griffith exhausted all of the administrative options available to him. Dissent... ... middle of paper ... ...d.). Vienna, VA: Management Concepts. Goldstein, J. (2012, June 24). Officers, Exhorted to Report Corruption, Still Fear Retaliation. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/25/nyregion/new-york-police-officers-face-retaliation-for-reporting-corruption.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 James Griffin v. The City of New York, No. 10 cv 02592 (RJD) (MDG) (D.C. Cir. ). Retrieved from http://abelllaw.typepad.com/files/ griffin-v-city-of-new-york-police-1st-amendment-case.pdf Lewis, C. W., & Gilman, S. C. (2005). THE ETHICS CHALLENGE IN PUBLIC SERVICE A Problem-Solving Guide (2nd ed.). Marzulli, J. (2013, December 3). NYPD Lieutenant Branded Whistleblower Detective a 'Rat' in Front of Squad: Former Colleagues. Daily News. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nypd-lieutenant-branded-whistleblower-rat-colleagues-article-1.1535719

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