NYC Police Misconduct

Nowadays, stories of police misconduct are frequently featured on the news or are a topic of conversation around the dinner table. Although it is a small minority of police officers who are abusing their power, many citizens around the country continue to be affected.

In New York City alone, there were nearly 20,000 allegations of police misconduct in 2010. Any victim who has suffered at the hands of the small but powerful minority of these cops deserves to be heard, supported, and validated. In the NYC area, there is no one better than Greenberg & Stein at representing victims of police misconduct.

What is Police Misconduct?

While the media focuses solely on stories of excessive use of force, there are actually four types of police misconduct, which include the following:

• excessive use of force
• abuse of authority
• discourtesy
• offensive language.

To address complaints of police misconduct, the municipal government created the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) about 20 years ago. In 2014, the CCRB received nearly 14,000 allegations of misconduct with abuse of authority accounting for nearly half of all complaints. Although the Bronx had the highest per-capita rate of complaints, Brooklyn was the site of more than one third of all complaints while Manhattan was the site of about 10% of complaints.

Filing a Police Misconduct Complaint

Victims of police misconduct can file a complaint in any of the following ways:

• file in person at any police station house
• file at CCRB’s main office
• file at a New York City council member’s district office in any borough
• write a letter to CCRB
• call 311 or the CCRB hotline (1-800-341-2272)
• file online

After filing, victims of police misconduct will be asked to visit the CCRB office to give a formal statement about the incident, what happened during the arrest, and the alleged misconduct. The CCRB representative will require the victim to provide the exact time, date, and location of the incident. The Board will then gather necessary witness statements and review any evidence from the arrest, trial, or prosecution. When a complaint is filed, the officer involved in the alleged incident will also be interviewed. Once the Board takes all of these steps, they will reach a conclusion about the complaint.

When police officers are the subjects of allegations of misconduct, they must be served with disciplinary charges within 18 months of the date of incident and not from the date the CCRB begins its investigation, so file a claim as soon as possible.

While the CCRB does an excellent job and every case is different, it takes them approximately 350 days to complete the average investigation. Having someone who can navigate what is often an overwhelming process is important to ensure you feel heard, supported, and validated. To secure justice in a timely manner and to make sure you have the legal protection you deserve, contact a police misconduct attorney at Greenberg & Stein.

How an Attorney Can Help in a Police Misconduct Case

Being a victim of police misconduct is a traumatic experience, but filing a complaint shouldn’t be. Contact a police misconduct attorney at Greenberg & Stein as early as possible. Don’t wait until after your complaint is filed to get the support you deserve. To make sure your complaint is very detailed, gather the following documentation and data as soon as possible while the event is fresh in your mind:

• photographs of injuries you may have sustained due to police misconduct
• documentation from your doctor
• doctor’s notes about how your symptoms affect your daily routine
• specific details about the date, time, location, who was involved in the incident, and circumstances of the alleged police misconduct
• contact information for any witnesses to the event.

In addition, avoid talking with any representative from your insurance company in case they mislead you into making a statement which could limit your ability to recover compensation.

With more than 50 years of combined litigation experience, the Greenberg & Stein team offers prospective clients a free consultation and will meet with victims in their home or even in the hospital to discuss the complaint.

This firm works on contingency, which means clients will not be charged a fee unless your lawyer wins your case. In a recent case of police misconduct, Greenberg & Stein was able to recover $300,000 for their client who suffered a fractured eye socket and needed surgery.

If you’re a victim of police misconduct, you’ve suffered enough. Contact Greenberg & Stein today:

Phone: 888-411-3966 Email: seth@greenbergandstein.com