A police department, rather than getting caught up in the reactive cycle of scandal, fortressing, disciplinary changes, personnel changes and rule changes, should develop department-wide acceptance of ethical standards. This should be based on a moral premise acceptable to police and community. Moral perspectives may vary greatly within a community and the police department which recruits from it, thus the best moral perspective from which to derive police ethics and standards is the "common promise" that each officer makes upon entering the service. The oath announces to the community five clear principles of fair conduct: fair access for all members of the public, respect for the public trust, a balance between enforcement efforts and the maintenance of order and security, coordination and cooperation among all members of the criminal justice system, and objectivity in all dealings with the public. Leadership, in addition to an officer's own character and personality, is important in determining his professional conduct and should establish a moral perspective. 4 footnotes