The primary civil rights law against police is misconduct. It is a federal offense of Section 1983 under Title 42 of the United States Code. Some common claims against police officers are excessive force, false arrest, and malicious prosecution.
What qualifies as police misconduct?
Coerced false confession, intimidation, false arrest, false imprisonment, falsification of evidence, spoliation of evidence, police perjury, witness tampering, police brutality, police corruption, racial profiling, unwarranted surveillance, unwarranted searches, and unwarranted seizure.
Also, acts involving sex and gender discrimination in education, housing discrimination based on race or national origin, workplace sexual harassment, denial of notice or an opportunity to be heard before having property taken away violates a person’s civil rights.
What happens when you file a complaint on a police officer?
If you make a complaint against an officer and with cops clearing themselves as they often do, the only recourse you may have is a civil lawsuit. In a civil lawsuit, you may receive compensation if you and your attorney can prove damages or civil rights violations.
Suing police is difficult, but not impossible.
