Recent tragic events have brought the issue of police misconduct and abuse into center-focus all across the country. These discussions converge at the nexus of complicated questions surrounding policing, systemic racism, and security in our communities.
But discussing social issues and finding yourself on the receiving end of police misconduct are two very different things. For victims, it can be difficult to reach out, or know what steps to take next.
If you’ve suffered police misconduct or abuse, you have options to get justice—and a Richmond police misconduct lawyer can help.
There are many examples of ways in which an officer can abuse their power, or be held criminally or civilly liable for their actions. Some of these include:
Excessive Force – This is the form of police misconduct that has ignited discussion and debate across the country. Officers have been videotaped using excessive—and, sadly, often lethal—physical force on people they are supposedly attempting to detain. In other cases, officers have been known to discharge their firearms in questionable circumstances. Both of the previous could constitute examples of excessive force.
False Arrest – It is illegal for a police officer to detain or arrest you without proper authority. For example, an officer is not allowed to detain you solely on the basis of your skin color, language, gender, or other characteristic. Also, an officer is not able to search or seize your possessions without probable cause, or a warrant.
Other Negligent Conduct – If a police officer acts recklessly or negligently in the supposed execution of police duty, they could be subject to an internal conduct review and/or criminal or civil consequences.
When a police officer is responsible for gross misconduct on the job, they could be subject to different types of penalties or consequences. For example, the police department where they work could determine they should face internal review and punishment, up to and including termination of employment, for misconduct committed on the job.
For serious matters, there could be legal consequences. Officers could be arrested, tried, and prosecuted for things such as assault, murder, and other violent crimes.
When your injuries caused by police misconduct lead to actual damages, you could be eligible to receive financial compensation in the form of settlement or jury award paid by the responsible party.
Some examples of the damage compensation you could receive include:
Medical bills
Lost wages
Emotional trauma
Punitive damages
When a police officer causes your injuries or damages through misconduct, it’s your right to demand justice. Find out how a police misconduct attorney from our firm can help.
Call Halperin Law Center at 804-527-0100 or by visiting our page to get started.
At the Halperin Law Center, we believe that people should be held responsible for their actions. If your life was disrupted by an injury, then don't hesitate to take legal action at our Richmond, VA, law firm for the compensation you deserve.... View full business profile here: Halperin Law Center
