Roland is a police officer in pursuit of a fleeing rape suspect. The chase is on foot, and Roland is a much faster runner than his partner. He catches the suspect out of sight of his partner. When his partner, Ted, arrives on the scene, he observes Roland striking the suspect, despite the fact that the suspect is already in handcuffs. Ted chooses not to report his partner. He arrived at this decision by deciding that the greater good is served by preserving the rapist's conviction, rather than risk losing it due to an excessive force complaint. Ted does believe that Roland acted improperly but decides that the community is better off if the rapist is incarcerated than if a complaint is pursued against an otherwise excellent officer. Ted's decision is consistent with:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ted's decision is based on the principle of utilitarianism, which suggests that the best action is the one that maximizes utility, typically defined as that which produces the greatest well-being of the greatest number of people. In this case, Ted believes that not reporting his partner will result in the greater good by ensuring the rapist's conviction, thus prioritizing the community's safety over the ethical issue of excessive force.

Roland Is a Police Officer in Pursuit of a Fleeing