Blue Wall of Silence: Case Scenarios and Ethical Implications

This essay delves into the controversial 'Blue Wall of Silence' phenomenon within law enforcement, using case scenarios to illustrate the ethical and practical implications of this informal code of conduct. The analysis primarily focuses on the Frank Serpico case, highlighting the severe consequences faced by officers who defy the code and expose corruption or misconduct. The essay explores the subculture within police departments, examining how it fosters an 'us against them' mentality that can shield corrupt practices. It references the views of figures like Congressman Charles Rangel and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to provide a balanced perspective on the existence and impact of the 'Blue Wall of Silence'. The essay also touches upon the historical context and the ways in which this code has contributed to the strained relationship between police departments and the communities they serve, particularly minority communities. The references provided offer additional resources for those interested in exploring this topic further.

Running Head: Blue Wall of Silence 1
The Blue Wall of Silence; Case Scenarios
Name of the Student
Institutional Affiliation

Blue Wall of Silence 2
Frank Serpico’s Case
Frank confessed that the police form an atypical subculture in society (Serpico, 2014). The
subculture is so extreme that Frank could not even understand the reason he was left by his
counterparts in duty ‘to die’ trapped in the door. Most of these police officers do take bribes from
the drug dealers they are supposed to arrest. Frank, having refused to take the bribes and even
going to the extent of testifying against his fellow officers, was susceptible to such consequences
based on the moral codes of behaviours that depict these subculture. According to Chambliss,
Hass, & Moloney, (2016), they have formed an "us against them" attitude, which is enforced by
the Blue Wall of Silence. The subculture is so adamant that the aforementioned attitude creates
their own version of the Mafia’s Omerta: “Speak out, and you’re no longer ‘one of us’.” “You’re
one of ‘them’.” This is what James Fyfe in his 1993 book regarding the issue of “Above The
Law”, stated that when an officer violates the code, he most likely won't be helped in
emergencies which is a clear picture in Serpico’s case. Going by that, I believe that the
subculture is so deep-rooted within the department more, especially the narcotics division.
NYPD has been linked to many allegations of misconducts and corruption (Kane &
White, 2012). It is unfortunate that after being shot in the face, Frank could not see his ‘backup'
but an old Hispanic man. One of the patrol officers that helped Frank is known to have regretted
helping him. “If I knew it was him, I would have left him there to bleed to death,” he said
(Serpico, 2014). This goes to show the rot within the police subcultures that a traitor cannot be
afforded backup in crises.
Congressman Charles Rangel and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani on the “Blue Wall of Silence.”
The ‘Blue Wall of Silence’ is a phrase commonly used to allude to an informal rule
among police officers not reporting or giving evidence against other officers in the wrong
(Campisi, & Dillow, 2017, p. 82). As Congressman Charles Rangel was serving in Korea, he was
not moved about seeing dead bodies, unless the bodies looked like him in uniform. From his own
confession, it is true that the Blue Wall of Silence is not a perception and it has contributed to the
gap between the communities and minority communities in such a way that even the minority
policemen are unwilling to break that silence (Writer, 2015). Again, this is proof sometimes even

Blue Wall of Silence 3
with an excellent ethical background; one may still fail to expose wrongdoings involving fellow
officers. This code is a violation of the call of duty, which policemen are supposed to uphold
ethics and personal beliefs. Even the good officers are compelled to act against their will to
prevent consequences like those that befell Frank Serpico. You should realize that this is not the
position taken by Mayor Rudolph Giulian who believes that the code is a media-driven
misconception (The New York Times, 1999). This is not true as it is based on the condition of
better education among police officers.

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References
Campisi, C., & Dillow G. L. (2017). BLUE ON BLUE: An Insider's Story of Good Cops
Catching Bad Cops. Simon and Schuster
Chambliss, W. J., Hass, A. Y., & Moloney, C. (2016). Criminology: Connecting theory,
research and practice. Routledge.
Kane, R. J., & White, M. D. (2012). Jammed up: Bad cops, police misconduct, and the New
York City police department. NYU Press.
Serpico, F. (2014). The Police Are Still Out of Control. POLITICO Magazine. Retrieved 8 June
2019, from https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/10/the-police-are-still-out-of-
control-112160_full.html
The Ney York Times (1999). A Blue Wall of Witnesses. Nytimes.com. Retrieved 8 June 2019,
from https://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/26/opinion/a-blue-wall-of-witnesses.html
Writer, S. (2015), Charlie Rangel: "Blue wall of silence has kept [communities] apart".
LeoAffairs. Retrieved 8 June 2019, from https://www.leoaffairs.com/charlie-rangel-blue-
wall-silence-kept-communities-apart/