New York City Police Misconduct Lawyer

We have every right to expect those authorized to enforce the law to adhere to the law. Public safety and a legitimate judicial system depend on it. But we frequently hear of egregious cases of police misconduct of various types, which result in varying degrees of harm to victims, including civil rights violations and death, as evidenced by a growing number of high profile cases in the news. If you have fallen victim of this any type of misconduct, it is vital to talk to a New York City police misconduct attorney.

What is Police Misconduct?

Police misconduct in New York City includes a range of unethical and illegal behaviors and violations of people’s constitutional rights while on the job. Examples include:

  • Excessive use of force
  • Using torture in an attempt to force a confession
  • Sexual assault (e.g. sodomizing a suspect with a baton or other object; rape)
  • Demanding sexual favors as a quid pro quo for leniency
  • Abuse of authority
  • Fraud; lying
  • Planting evidence 

How Common is Police Misconduct in New York City?

The Cato Institute, a prominent Washington D.C. think tank, in its National Police Misconduct Reporting Project, found that around one percent of the nation’s police officers commit misconduct in any given year, resulting in serious consequences to victims. Another study by the Wisconsin Innocence Project discovered that police misconduct was a factor in as many as half of all wrongful convictions that involved DNA evidence. 

What Recourse Do Civilians Have against Police Misconduct?

In New York City, the Civilian Complaint Review Board is an agency that is, at least in theory, independent of the police department and responsible for its oversight. The CCRB has subpoena power and handles four categories of complaints against police officers:

  • Complaints of unnecessary or excessive use of force, including chokeholds, tasering, pepper spray, and any type of deadly force.
  • Abuse of authority, which is using the power of the office to intimidate or otherwise mistreat a civilian. This encompasses unlawful search and seizure, improper questioning or frisking without cause, improper strip searches, vehicle stops without probable cause, and more.
  • Discourtesy
  • Using obscene or offensive language

While having a civilian review board is important and sounds good in theory, in practice it is often ineffective. The New York Civil liberties Union (NYCLU) conducted a study that determined:

  • The CCRB has not been able to establish an effective investigative operation.
  • The CCRB has not been an effective advocate for reform in the police department to correct practices that place civilians at risk of harm.
  • The New York City Police Department undermines the CCRB’s oversight function by failing to cooperate in its investigations.
  • The NYPD ignores CCRB disciplinary findings and fails to implement its recommendations in a large majority of cases.

Furthermore, New York State law denies criminal defense lawyers freedom-of-information access to the personnel files of police officers to show patterns of misconduct at trial.

Seek Help From Our NYC Police Misconduct Attorney

So how can the citizens of New York protect themselves from abuses and hold these types of police misconduct in check? The answer is to have a very experienced, knowledgeable, and determined New York City police misconduct attorney representing you when you’ve become a victim of these inexcusable behaviors. These are extremely difficult cases, and require an aggressive pursuit of the truth. Standing up to a government agency as the powerful as the NYPD takes courage and commitment. But these cases can be won, and with the right lawyer, victims can and do succeed in holding the police accountable for their wrongful actions.

In the average year, New York City pays out between $500 million and $600 million to settle cases to compensate people for personal injuries that have been found to be the city’s responsibility.

If you feel that a member of the New York City Police Department has abused his or her authority or has harmed you or a member of your family through official misconduct, call the Law Offices of Jon L. Norinsberg. Jon brings to the table more than 25 years of legal experience as both a plaintiffs and civil defense lawyer, so he knows the workings of the criminal justice system from both sides of the table. As a Police Brutality attorney in New York City, he is deeply committed to preserving the civil liberties that are guaranteed to us by the United States Constitution and is aggressive in the pursuit of justice for anyone who has been abused, victimized, or mistreated in any way by a member of the NYPD.

It is important to make that call now, as these cases are subject to legal time limits called statutes of limitations on filing, and they require extensive investigation to lay the necessary groundwork and to prepare a thorough and persuasive legal case. Don’t delay; call New York City police brutality attorney Jon L. Norinsberg today.

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