What a sad and tragic story that has recently played out in the case of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. He has admitted to using an escort service for years, the most appropriately named Emperors Club VIP, and spending up to $5000 at a time for services rendered. He became snared in an FBI prostitution case, and was identified by surveillance as he met a woman at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. The irony of this whole affair is that while Spitzer was the Attorney General for the state of New York, he had prosecuted a couple of high class prostitution rings. His subsequent press conferences found him railing about the evils of prostitution and how it leads to other crimes as well. We now learn that Spitzer was no better than those that he investigated and prosecuted, using the same methods that they employed to mask their actions.
While I am not going to pass judgment on the former Governor, insofar as any criminal charges that may result due to his behavior, I would like to raise some moral and ethical issues that are a product of this sordid matter.
When I first learned of Spitzer's problem, I immediately thought about his protection detail... What did they know about the Governor's conduct? Having been a member of a security detail on two long-term assignments, and having been an adjunct to several others, I know well that depending on your place in the pecking order, you become very familiar with not only the official business, but also the private business of your protectee. Spending 10-15 hours a day with your principal gives you a sense of what he does every day, both on an official and unofficial basis.
But let me be crystal clear about one thing - I am not suggesting that the New York State Troopers on that detail had any knowledge of Spitzer's transgressions, nor were they complicit in any of his behavior. Indeed, they have a storied and proud history - men and women who are some of the finest officers in the country. However, the moral and ethical dilemma that a situation like this produces, is one that can be a topic of discussion in ethics training for every police department. The tenuous position that the principal puts his detail in when he acts irresponsibly is one that can lead to major problems for all parties involved. If you learn of criminal or immoral behavior on the part of your protectee, what are your obligations? Do you have an ethical or a moral imperative to bring the matter to the attention of your supervisor? How much evidence does one need before bringing the matter to light?
After an officer has been with a certain individual on a protection detail for some time, especially if he is the supervisor, he will develop a close relationship with whomever it is that he is in charge of protecting. Day to day contact with both the principal and his family and associates, leads to knowledge of intimate details that are generally not known by the public. He is entrusted to safeguard that information, as his principal's integrity and reputation are as important as the physical safety that must be protected. But what happens when the observed behavior becomes questionable, or maybe borders on criminal activity, or actually is illegal? What does the protection detail do then?
I know full well that there are times when the boss will tell his guys to get lost for a while, or he will tell them that they are finished for the night. The detail may have dropped him at the office or home, or maybe even a location that is somewhat questionable. What then? What are your responsibilities if you have even an inkling that something isn't right? The detail walks a fine line between being in sync with their principal, and having a difficult, acrimonious relationship.
As far as the Governor Spitzer affair is concerned, my sense is that the protection detail had no knowledge of what was going on. When the boss wants to be alone, there is no negotiating - you get in the car and go. But what a situation for those members of the detail to be thrust into! People, and especially the media, will raise questions about the integrity of the cops! They will demand to know what they knew, may even compel them to submit to polygraphs or testify at any subsequent hearings involving the Governor. Ethically speaking, Spitzer not only violated his own code of ethics, he created a cloud over the proud men and women of the New York State Police. That's a crime that he will never be prosecuted for, but one that has the potential of causing scars that will take years to erase.
The lessons learned: Be moral, be ethical, and be completely above board. When you operate in the shadows, unable to see things clearly, the light of day may seem harsh and can burn you. Spitzer led a double life that he may have kept secret from his protection detail, but misdeeds and immoral conduct tend to fester like an infected wound, eventually exposing the poison within. Stay safe brothers and sisters!
