Law enforcement agencies and police departments in California are tasked with duty to protect and serve. However in many instances police officer overstep their powers and engage in the use of excessive force, psychological abuse and verbal intimidation. Such actions can be constituted as Civil Rights Abuses and lead to serious long term injuries. Other forms of police misconduct include
Civil rights are the personal rights every resident of the Unites States possesses. In our nation many of these rights are delineated in the Bill of Rights of the US Constitution, as well as future amendments to the constitution that have been adopted over the years. Laws enforcement agencies have a duty preserve such rights. Some important civil rights individuals hold that cannot be abstracted by law enforcement agencies are as follows
Police departments, Sheriffs offices and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) have a duty to refrain from acts of physical violence and intimidation. In some instances police may be justified in using physical force to restrain an individual, prevent harm to themselves or others, or prevent resisting arrests. Unfortunately police officers can cross the line and use excessive force. Some common acts of physical abuse by law enforcement include
Bane Act Pena Code section 422.6: The bane act creates criminal remedies against individuals who have participated in civil rights abuses against others “by force or threat of force, oppress, injure, intimidate, or interfere with any other person in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right secured by the state or federal government.”
Many victims of Police abuse feel hopeless; they feel there is no legal recourse for them since the individual who abused them is a police officer. However this is not the case. The law provides protection against police misconduct leading to injuries and harm. Every year millions of dollars in compensation are paid out by police departments across the state of California for Civil rights abuses against civilians. In just a three year period the LAPD [Los Angeles Police Department] paid over $64 Million dollars in damages for abuse by its police officers. Compensation for injuries due to police abuse can be based on several factors including
Punitive damages are available where the law enforcement officer has acted with intentional intent or reckless disregard for the victims civil rights. If you have any further questions and would like to speak to a Civil Rights Police Abuse Attorney call us at (888) 649-7166.