Imagine that you are the top elected official of a county constitutional office such as Sheriff or Clerk or Property Appraiser. As part of your campaign to get elected, you promise that you will demand that employees of the organization behave properly and not behave in a manner that jeopardizes the credibility and integrity of the office. A week after you take office you learn that several married employees are engaging in intimate behavior which offends your sense of morality and is causing disruption in the agency.  

 What do you do? Do you turn your head and hope the situation disappears? Do you call the employees to your office and teach them a lesson in moral behavior? Do you consider revising the agency's written standard of conduct to prohibit married employees from dating or entering into intimate relationships with other employees, single or married?  

 After much discussion with your top staff, you decide to issue an order prohibiting married personnel from engaging in adulterous affairs. The order reads as follows:  

 "Agency personnel, whether married or single, shall not develop an association with another member whom they know or should have known is married to another person. Married members also shall not develop an association with agency members who are single. Excluded from this are members who are separated and residing apart from their spouse, or those who have legally filed for divorce. For the purpose of this policy, "association" means, residing with, dating, or entering into any intimate relationship with."  

 Is moral management fact or fantasy? You decide.  

 Source: Policy statement is actual wording contained in the Pinellas County (Florida) Sheriff's Office, General Order 3-1, section 3.4.