Police officers are sworn into service with a code of conduct, which requires them to follow procedures and operate with ethical behavior to avoid corruption and abuse of their power. Unfortunately, not all police officers follow these guidelines.

Police brutality, intimidation, coerced false confessions or evidence, witness tampering, racial profiling, unwarranted searches and seizures, and corruption are all types of police misconduct. Meanwhile, police officers themselves face increasing challenges with shortages in departments, hostility towards the honest police officers, and establishing closer ties to the communities they serve.

Though there are issues on both sides of the law, a police officer should never intimidate or coerce you into anything. The NYPD must follow standards to maintain a fair and just peace service. When a police officer abuses that right, you not only can but should file an official complaint. Furthermore, you may want to pursue additional legal action if the officer violated your civil rights when dealing with you.

Can You Protect Yourself When NYC Police Abuse Their Power?

In New York City, the police department works to keep you safe, and while they’ve been given the power and responsibility to maintain public safety, there have been a number of instances in which that power is misused or abused.

If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a police officer abusing their power or using excessive force, your first step should be to contact the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) to file a complaint. Additionally, you can contact the New York City Police Department Internal Affairs Bureau.

The CCRB is not associated with the NYPD; it is an independent agency that allows you to make official complaints against a police officer. The organization investigates any complaints that involve excessive force, discourtesy, offensive language, and/or abuse of authority.

The decisions, or, in some cases, recommendations of the CCRB involve disciplinary actions that could include further training or removal from the New York City police force. The CCRB sends these recommendations to the police commissioner, who makes the final decision on any action that may be taken against a police officer.

Filing a CCRB Complaint

If you have any information about a New York City police officer’s misconduct, you can file a complaint, even if you weren’t the victim directly. There is no age requirement to make a complaint, and the CCRB can accept a complaint in any language. It’s also important to note that you can file a complaint against an NYC police officer even if you are in jail.

The only caveat here is that you should file the complaint as soon as possible after the incident occurred because the Civilian Complaint Review Board can only recommend disciplinary actions within 18 months from the date of the misconduct.

If you or a loved one wants to file a complaint against an NYC police officer, you can call the CCRB at 1-800-341-2272, fill out an online complaint form at the CCRB website, mail in a written letter, or visit the board at 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY. You can also choose to file a complaint at the local police precinct, and they will forward it to the CCRB.

Dealing With the Civilian Complaint Review Board

Once the complaint is filed, an investigator will be assigned to your case and will contact you to investigate any misuse of power. This investigator will likely want to have a meeting with you and get any information you have, such as the time, date, and location of the incident. They will also want the names and contact information of any potential witnesses to the event.

While you can file an anonymous complaint, an investigator will still want to meet with you, so you’ll need to provide your contact information. You can be assured that the police officer will not know who filed the complaint, and officers are required to comply with any investigation.

It’s okay if you don’t know the NYC police officer’s name or badge number. The investigator from the CCRB will be able to identify the officer based on the time and location of the incident. In some cases, your investigator may ask you to look at pictures of the police officer in question for identification purposes.

Types of Police Misconduct

Police are held accountable through codes of conduct. This is set forth in the Police Department Patrol Guide as well as in certain state and federal law. Police misconduct usually breaks down into one of the following categories:

• False Arrest
• Deprivation of Civil Rights
• Malicious Prosecution
• Excessive Force

False Arrest

The police must have a legal right to make an arrest. They also must follow specific procedures during the arrest, such as reading you your Miranda Rights. Consequently, a false arrest occurs when police lack probable cause yet make an arrest regardless. 

Keep in mind that the U.S. Constitution and New York State Constitution protect you from false arrest in the absence of probable cause for the arrest. The police also cannot deprive you of your right to be “free of unreasonable searches and seizures,” according to the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution The police and/or District Attorney cannot bring and pursue criminal charges until your case is heard in court. You have the right to speak to a lawyer before talking to the police.

Malicious Prosecution

Once you have been arrested, the police and/or the District Attorney have a fixed period of time to bring the case to trial. Sometimes the police/District Attorney do not have enough evidence or the proper evidence to prosecute the case. On rare occasions, the police/District attorney will fudge the evidence in order to make a case. The police/District Attorney must bring the case only if they have the evidence to do so. If they do not have the evidence or they improperly obtained the evidence and still insist on prosecuting the case, you may have an action for malicious prosecution. This includes cases in which you might have made a confession. If the confession was coerced or untrue, it is improper. Therefore, any acts to try and coerce or trick you into a confession are illegal. Always demand to speak to a lawyer the moment you get arrested.

Excessive Force

Lastly, police brutality is a hot topic in society for a good reason. Police excessive force is illegal and constitutes misconduct, as well as a violation of your Civil Rights. Police officers cannot use force against you that is more than necessary to effectuate your arrest—but what does that mean? “Excessive force” means that the force used is greater than the threat posed by the arrestee. This may include not only the inappropriate use of deadly force but also any chokehold which restricts breathing. The police cannot sit or stand on your chest to gain compliance or apply handcuffs if such actions are not necessary to facilitate the arrest.

Can I Sue the Police? 

If the police officer did something illegal or violated your civil rights or their Patrol Guide, you can sue the police officer as well as their department. Unfortunately, many folks are scared and worried about speaking out about police misconduct because they fear retaliation. Speaking with a seasoned lawyer from Greenberg & Stein can help set your mind at ease and get you started on the path to seeking justice for police misconduct.

Civil Suits Against the Police

Civil suits against NYPD officers are more common than you might think. Last year, NYC taxpayers unwillingly contributed $230 million to pay off nearly 6,500 lawsuits that were settled by the NYPD in 2019. Over $100 million was paid to victims for police misconduct like false arrest and excessive force. The amount paid in settlements is double what was paid out in 2009. Police misconduct is very real and occurs almost daily in New York City.

Know your rights. You are protected when it comes to:

• Coerced False Confessions
• False Arrest
• False Imprisonment
• Falsification of Evidence
• Intimidation
• Police Brutality
• Police Corruption
• Police Perjury
• Racial Profiling
• Spoliation of Evidence
• Unwanted Surveillance
• Unwanted Searches and Seizures
• Witness Tampering

Civil suits are generally the only way to receive justice and compensation for your injuries, as well as any emotional damages caused by the incident. Contacting police misconduct lawyers in NYC will provide you with a critical ally when dealing with the powerful and intimidating force that is the NYPD.

Police Misconduct Lawyers in NYC

If you or a loved one have a legitimate complaint against the NYPD, then your next step should be to hire a skilled, knowledgeable, and experienced NYC attorney like those at Greenberg & Stein to help you navigate the complex complaint system and ensure that your rights are protected. We will investigate any and all possible legal recourse available to you.

The lawyers at the law firm of Greenberg & Stein are passionate about standing up for the little guy and have a reputation for taking on and winning even the most difficult of cases. We firmly believe that no one should suffer at the hands of those who were hired to protect and defend the public good, and our team is standing by—ready to help.

We offer a free consultation and a 24-hour phone line, so don’t hesitate to call us if you need a police misconduct lawyer in New York City. Contact us today at 212-681-2535 to schedule your free legal consultation.

In New York City and elsewhere, the police are there to protect you and the community. However, sometimes the police may be influenced by things such as prejudice, emotions, personal problems, and even the reactions of their fellow police officers, and misconduct or excessive force can be the result. When this happens, the police officers involved need to be held accountable for their actions.

All of us have heard about some of the cases of police brutality, sexual misconduct, harassment, discrimination, and false arrests that have been publicized by the media over the years. What you may not know, is that many of these types of cases are never covered by the media and oftentimes go unreported. Even so, it’s estimated that over 4,800 cases of police misconduct are reported every year across the United States.

Below are the four most common forms of police misconduct here in New York City.

Police Brutality: Police brutality usually involves excessive force and is the most common form of police misconduct in New York City. Police brutality may include: physical attacks, inappropriate use of a taser or firearm, and a number of other circumstances.

Police Sexual Misconduct and Harassment: These types of complaints involve consensual sexual activity while on duty, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and even cases of child molestation.

Police Discrimination: Police discrimination arises out of unethical activity by a police officer that revolves around, gender, race, disabilities, and sexual orientation, just to name a few. Also included under police discrimination is being beaten by a police officer, false arrest, racial profiling, and unethical hiring and/or promotion in the NYC police department based on gender, race, or sexual orientation.

Sadly, in some cases of police discrimination, African Americans are more than two times likely to not be carrying a weapon when killed during police encounters than Caucasians. In addition, Hispanics and Native Americans are almost just as likely as African Americans to fall victim to police misconduct due to discrimination.

False Arrest: A false arrest happens when you or a loved one is held in police custody without probable cause or without the court’s approval.

New York City police officers are not above the law, and many victims may be afraid to speak out against the police brutality or abuse they have suffered. At the law offices of Greenberg & Stein, we are here to support you and will conduct our own investigation into the incident in order to identify the police officer that harmed you. We will also pull their work history to see if they’ve been the subject of past complaints.

In addition, we will gather any available evidence and talk to any witnesses who may be able to support your claim against the NYPD and who will testify for you in court. Your case matters, and we will be a strong advocate for you to ensure you get all the damages you deserve.

The attorneys at Greenberg & Stein have more than 75 years of combined experience representing the little guy in New York City and we have a reputation for taking on and winning even the most difficult of cases. We firmly believe that no one should ever be the victim of those who have been hired to protect us and to serve the common good.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of police misconduct in New York City, you need to contact the offices of Greenberg & Stein to ensure all of your legal rights are protected and that you receive fair and just compensation for your injuries, whether emotional or physical. Call us today at 888-411-3966 to schedule your free legal consultation.