Police Brutality In The News: Lessons To Be Learned

In recent months, police throughout the country have been filmed overstepping their bounds, wrongfully shooting innocent men of color, and even killing people they were trying to arrest. We have all heard about the injustices in Ferguson, MO, and Staten Island, New York, and elsewhere throughout the country. The focus on police brutality has gotten to epidemic proportions, with thousands marching in protest in major cities such as New York, Washington DC, and Los Angeles.

However, what can we as people learn about the pattern of police brutality on the news?

• We can take note that police brutality is a real thing, and that it is a much bigger issue for minorities than we initially thought. One study placed the average amount of lawsuits filed against the NYPD at 10 per day, most of which are police brutality related. If you have been charged with a crime and believe you were treated inhumanely, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Police brutality is a real thing, and it’s more common than we all are led to believe.
• Many of the people who have suffered at the hands of police were innocent. This is an important sticking point. Why? Because you may be entitled to compensation from the police department that handled your case if you were innocent, but were still subjected to intimidation, illegal search and seizure, or brutality.
• Police that are outed for their injustices can lose their jobs, but only if enough noise is made. The police officer who sparked the outrage at Ferguson resigned from his post. Many other officers who have been caught behaving cruelly to bystanders have been put on leave, or quit after the proof has been aired online. There is justice in the world, but only for those who will seek it out.
• Everyone agrees that police should be held accountable for their actions. Literally, tens of thousands of people are now mobilizing to show their support for the victims’ families, and to show that they are not approving the methods used by police. Everyone recognizes that this is a major problem, and the fact that body cameras are beginning to be put in use by police is one of the many signs that cops are now being held more accountable.

Many people who are wrongly accused of a crime are also subjected to treatment and interrogation tactics that are illegal. They may be able to not only get the crime expunged from their record, but also get compensated for the pain and suffering that police have caused them.

If you or a loved one was recently accused of a crime, treated poorly by law enforcement, and experienced pain due to what happened, it may be time to take a stand. Speak to John W. Tumelty about your case. He is an experienced criminal lawyer who will protect your rights.