The movie Training Day follows the introduction of a rookie cop on his first day at LAPD, under the leadership of one of the experienced members of the force, Denzel Washington. As a former security guard in Los Angeles, it is hard for the rookie to imagine the amount of work that is required in facing the urban criminals who deal narcotics. Additionally, Jake, the rookie has to work under the guidance of one of the notorious narcotics busters, Harris Alonzo, a day that throws him into the life of urban criminals and cartels. One of the main lessons one learns about organized criminals in urban cities is that they operate under specific rules, and they are aware of the LAPD rules. Therefore, as a cop, Jake needed to understand the rules of the gangs and the urban dens where the drugs ere moved. The director does an excellent job to pick Harris Alonzo as his guide because, through him, Jake understands that the LAPD code of conduct and ethics are essential, but they are not necessarily used out in the field. Third, it is essential to understand that as an officer of the law, some gangs operate under industries that have a lot of grey areas. In one instance, Harris robs a woman out of her drug money to get rid of the drugs from the streets. While this goes against the code of conduct, it is not clear whether agent Harris is doing what is right by the streets by breaking the law. However, Jake learns that being a corrupt officer has its own perils and that one’s life is always at stake. Jake is presented with a situation that his intuitions and choices make all the difference in his entire career. Based on the events and the ideas presented in the movie, one of the mains issues that one would take as a law enforcement officer is the issue of ethical dilemmas in the field. Some of the ethical dilemmas set up in the movie, although fictitious, is not impossible. The impossibility of some situations such as whether Jake should work around the corrupt ways agent Harris is introducing him to or following the ethical police code is left unanswered. Some of the issues in the movie escalate to fatalities amidst shootouts, and since the gang cannot report these issues, the two sides call it even. In a typical setup, this would be investigated, but Harris is keen to bury the matter. Consequently, Jake has a decision to make which presents the other side of law enforcement. Once indulged into the ways of agent Harris, Jake has to either follow in his footsteps and become a corrupt officer. However, referring to agent Harris as a corrupt officer is highly relative because of the events of the movie. Ideally, a corrupt officer would be breaking the laws for his benefit or selfish gain. However, Harris is keen to fight crimes by fleecing the narcotic lords and cleaning the streets his way. Jake is thus presented with an ethical dilemma, but he must make sure to make a wise decision as he fits in the force. One of the questions I would ask the director is what he intended to display the role of the police in the movie. The rookie Jake is nothing to celebrate while Harris is quite a lawbreaker rather than a law enforcement officer. In the eyes of the public, it is unclear whether the director wanted to cast the critical role of rogue cops or indicate the dilemma that these officers face fighting urban criminal gangs.
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