
Now please hear me say this – some of the finest folks I’ve ever met and had the privilege to represent have been members of law enforcement. These are folks who love America just as much as I do, and risk their lives everyday on the job to protect and serve others. There is nothing easy about being a police officer, and because of this, the law provides policemen with broad authority to perform their duties. It is important to understand not every push or shove or form of intimidation by a police officer is an excessive use of force in the eyes of the law. Police officers are also entitled to a qualified immunity defense. This means that a lawsuit against a police officer can be thrown out of court if you do not prove that a clearly established federal law or constitutional right has been violated. These are good laws that protect those honest and hard-working police officers who are trying their best to perform a hard job – those whom I consider to be the vast majority of police officers on the job.
The problems are caused by those “bad apples.” We have “bad apples” in every profession. They typically represent a small percentage of a profession, but their actions and conduct cause significant injury and embarrassment to the profession as a whole. However, and unlike most other professions, a “bad apple” police officer carries a badge and a gun, and he can very easily kill you or cause significant injury.
No one deserves to be abused by the police.
We are all seeing too many examples of police brutality across our country these days. I personally believe that police brutality has always been alive and active in our country, but covered up and concealed from the public. However, and with modern technology such as smart phones and body cameras, we now have the ability to capture and preserve this evidence when it occurs and hold those accountable for what would have been “swept under the rug” or “lost” in the past.

Law enforcement officers take an oath to protect and serve our communities. Yet, every year there are hundreds of thousands reports of abuse filed by victims of excessive force and police brutality. Millions of dollars are paid out each year in connection to police misconduct-related settlements and judgments. In my opinion, more emphasis needs to be placed on the character of the person who is hired to serve a police officer, and every police department, regardless of size, should focus on additional training to better prepare for scenarios as they arise. I think it is also important that better training reinforces the fact that the police are to be considered “peace officers,” not military commandos.

Now please hear me say this – some of the finest folks I’ve ever met and had the privilege to represent have been members of law enforcement. These are folks who love America just as much as I do, and risk their lives everyday on the job to protect and serve others. There is nothing easy about being a police officer, and because of this, the law provides policemen with broad authority to perform their duties. It is important to understand not every push or shove or form of intimidation by a police officer is an excessive use of force in the eyes of the law. Police officers are also entitled to a qualified immunity defense. This means that a lawsuit against a police officer can be thrown out of court if you do not prove that a clearly established federal law or constitutional right has been violated. These are good laws that protect those honest and hard-working police officers who are trying their best to perform a hard job – those whom I consider to be the vast majority of police officers on the job.
The problems are caused by those “bad apples.” We have “bad apples” in every profession. They typically represent a small percentage of a profession, but their actions and conduct cause significant injury and embarrassment to the profession as a whole. However, and unlike most other professions, a “bad apple” police officer carries a badge and a gun, and he can very easily kill you or cause significant injury.
No one deserves to be abused by the police.
We are all seeing too many examples of police brutality across our country these days. I personally believe that police brutality has always been alive and active in our country, but covered up and concealed from the public. However, and with modern technology such as smart phones and body cameras, we now have the ability to capture and preserve this evidence when it occurs and hold those accountable for what would have been “swept under the rug” or “lost” in the past.

Law enforcement officers take an oath to protect and serve our communities. Yet, every year there are hundreds of thousands reports of abuse filed by victims of excessive force and police brutality. Millions of dollars are paid out each year in connection to police misconduct-related settlements and judgments. In my opinion, more emphasis needs to be placed on the character of the person who is hired to serve a police officer, and every police department, regardless of size, should focus on additional training to better prepare for scenarios as they arise. I think it is also important that better training reinforces the fact that the police are to be considered “peace officers,” not military commandos.
When you are the victim of excessive force or police brutality, you are entitled to justice. You will need an excessive force/police brutality lawyer who understands the limits of police authority and one who will help guide you through the immunity defenses. Taking on the government can seem overwhelming, but I will do everything the law allows to make sure your rights are protected.

