What can I do if I am a victim of police misconduct?

Police officers are here to protect the public from harm and to uphold the rule of law. They are also required to uphold the constitution and to use appropriate force when they are responding to or investigating crimes. Excessive force, which is also known as police misconduct or police brutality, is when a police officer misuses their legal power during routine traffic stops, patrols, questioning or interrogation, or any other law enforcement pursuits.

While police are here to uphold the law, the law also stands behind those who have been the victim of police misconduct, whether you are guilty or suspected of being guilty of a crime or not. If law enforcement has crossed the line of duty and violated an individual’s constitutional rights, then they can be subject to civil liability for their actions.

Some examples of police misconduct can include racial profiling, assault, verbal attacks, the use of excessive force, making false arrests, surveillance abuse, corruption and bribes, and the abuse of legal power.

There are three main police misconduct claims that arise frequently.

The most common source of police misconduct is the use of excessive force, where an arresting officer uses more physical force than necessary or warranted in order to control the situation. In some cases, an officer may use a weapon like mace or a Taser gun, or they may beat a suspect after a pursuit.

Wrongful or false arrest is another common claim made against the police. It involves situations where an officer arrests someone without probable cause that the person has committed a crime and that they are the responsible party.

The third leading claim of police misconduct is false imprisonment, which also includes the unauthorized use of bodily restraint, not necessarily just being placed in jail.

The police have a responsibility to protect society and to enforce the law, and the public places their confidence in them to act appropriately. While most officers uphold that trust, there are incidents where an officer may go too far, which only serves to erode the trust of the public.

While there have been a number of high profile police misconduct cases appearing in the news over the past few years, there are many other instances that receive either no publicity or go unreported by the victim, some of whom may not realize that their civil rights were violated in the first place and they could seek legal recourse.

Police misconduct or police brutality cases not only try to ensure that the victim receives justice and compensation for the misconduct of a public servant, but they also act as an important safeguard or check on the system to ensure that the appropriate use of force and other standards are followed.

If you’ve been the victim of police misconduct or police brutality by the NYC police, and the officer had no justification to treat you this way, then you need to contact the offices of Greenberg & Stein to evaluate your case. Our team of lawyers has more than 75 years of combined experience and has handled many different types of police misconduct cases ranging from racial profiling to wrongful arrest, and more.

We are dedicated to helping the victims of police misconduct in New York City in finding justice, so don’t hesitate to contact us today at 888-411-3966 for a no-obligation case evaluation to see what an experienced police misconduct lawyer in New York City can do for you.