A private security inspector accused of conducting invasive and unauthorized physical searches on transit passengers at a major terminal was simply complying with direct organizational mandates, an employment tribunal has heard.
Officer 'Z' denies charges of professional misconduct and harassment at a regulatory hearing.
The defense argued that strict operational guidelines handed down by senior management were the primary catalyst for the invasive searches. The defense pointed to a high-alert security framework named 'Operation Sentinel' designed to aggressively deter contraband smuggling. The tribunal heard that the regional director overseeing 'Operation Sentinel' instructed staff to "eliminate transport risks by any means necessary" and to "work subjects hard without compromise" during checks. The defense representative stated: “The officer is facing dismissal solely because they executed the explicit directives of their superior officers.’’
Officer 'Z' has pleaded not guilty to negligence. The tribunal is expected to conclude next week.
Briefly outline one core study on obedience and explain how it could relate to Officer Z's obedience to authority in the scenario above.
128 exam-style questions on OCR A Level Psychology Responses to people in authority, covering Milgram (1963): Obedience and Bocchiaro et al. (2012): Disobedience and whistle-blowing. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.