Let's Get Ethical

This post originally appeared as a two-part series for the weekly email newsletter.

I had someone reach out recently asking if I knew of any good ethics training options. And while this isn’t the same as a whole class, it did get me thinking that ethics might be a great topic to cover. So… here we are.

We’ve all heard the word ethics tossed around, but it’s not always clearly defined. Merriam-Webster describes ethics as the “moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity.” In simpler terms, it’s the study of what’s right and wrong; the guidelines we use to help us make decisions in life.

As emergency communications professionals, ethics is baked into everything we do. We make ethical decisions constantly, sometimes without even realizing it. And ethics isn’t limited to what happens when we’re sitting in the chair. It’s an ongoing commitment to making responsible, principled choices in every environment. On duty, off duty, or online, what we do reflects not only who we are as individuals but also our agency and the profession as a whole.

Being ethical takes awareness, accountability, and consistency.

What Shapes Our Ethical Foundation?

Ethics start forming long before we ever step foot in a communications center. They’re shaped by upbringing, lived experiences, peer influence, mentors, and the people who impact us along the way. That foundation follows us into the job, but once we step into a public safety role, we take on an additional layer: organizational and professional values.

As professionals, we’re expected to:

• Follow established rules of conduct

• Rely on professional standards, not just personal opinions, when making decisions

• Be aware of how culture, language, and shared experiences influence behavior

• Recognize when personal values conflict with policy and still choose to do the right thing

We also commit to putting the needs of the public above our own, maintaining our skills, obeying the law, avoiding behavior that harms others, and building respectful, professional relationships with our peers and community.

Ethical Decision-Making: Navigating the Gray Areas

By adulthood, most of us learn that life isn’t full of easy “right vs. wrong” or “black and white” scenarios. Many situations fall into gray areas, where two choices may both seem right in different ways. That’s where ethical decision-making becomes more challenging.

When you’re standing in the gray, a few steps can help:

• Identify the dilemma. What’s actually happening, and why does it matter?

• Recognize rationalizations—those quiet justifications like “Everyone does it” or “This is how it’s always been done.”

• Consider alternatives and consequences. What options exist, and what might happen if you choose—or don’t choose—each one?

• Choose the option you can explain honestly, defend openly, and stand behind both at work and in the community.

Ethical decisions should hold up under the light, whether they involve a call you handled or a choice you made off duty.

Ethics Beyond the Console: Online and Off Duty

Two areas often overlooked in ethics conversations are our digital presence and the role we each play outside the center.

Social media is part of everyday life, and it’s easy to use it without much thought. But as public safety professionals, what we post, like, comment on, or share can travel much farther than we expect. Even posts that feel harmless can be misinterpreted or send unintended messages. And “private” accounts, friends-only posts, and closed groups aren’t always as private as we hope.

Ethical behavior online looks like:

• Avoiding content that could erode public trust

• Keeping confidential information truly confidential—no hints or vague references

• Being mindful of tone when commenting or debating

• Recognizing that off-duty posts can still reflect on your agency

• Pausing before posting when emotions are high

And this responsibility doesn’t end online.

Like it or not, working in public safety means we’re often held to a higher standard in public spaces. Off duty, ethical conduct means protecting privacy, avoiding gossip about incidents, treating community members with respect, and steering clear of behavior that could damage credibility. Choosing integrity—even when no one is watching—matters.

Ethics don’t end when we log out or clock out. Our off-duty actions either reinforce or undermine the trust our communities place in us, and they speak just as loudly as the work we do during a shift.

Shaping the Culture of the Center: Everyone Plays a Role

One of the biggest workplace myths is that culture belongs solely to leadership. While supervisors and administrators set expectations, the day-to-day culture—the tone, norms, and environment- is built by the people sitting next to you.

Language carries weight. The stories we tell, the phrases we repeat, the jokes we make, and even our reactions send messages about what we value. For trainees and new employees, these cues shape how they learn the job and what they believe is acceptable.

“War stories” can be educational or entertaining, but they can also unintentionally set expectations that don’t align with policy or best practice. How we talk about callers, officers, supervisors, and coworkers matters.

Ethical behavior includes being aware not just of what we say, but how we say it—and how it might land with those around us. Culture is shaped in small, everyday moments: how we speak to and about one another, how we handle change, whether we support or undermine policy, the tone we set during tough shifts, and how we treat new or struggling teammates.

Even small habits, eye-rolling at an email, dismissing change with “that’s how we’ve always done it”, send signals about what’s acceptable.

Every dispatcher contributes to the ethical environment of the center. Leadership can guide and reinforce expectations, but each team member helps set the tone for professionalism, accountability, and respect. Showing up with integrity, in the chair, online, and out in the world. is leadership, whether you realize it or not.

The reverse is true as well. Choosing professionalism, using respectful language, and handling conflict with maturity all help build a healthier, more ethical culture.

The question is: What kind of culture are you helping to create?

Ethics isn’t a one-time decision. It’s something we practice in the small, everyday moments—during stressful calls, with our coworkers, online, and in public.

Whether you’re a trainee, a seasoned dispatcher, or in a leadership role, your choices help shape the profession for everyone who comes after you.

And that’s a pretty powerful responsibility.