NYPD sued for excessive force against school children

/jcreiterlaw.com/Jonathan C. Reiter/ 02/03/2010

The New York and American Civil Liberties Unions filed the lawsuit against the NYPD Wednesday, January 20, 2010, for violence and abuse of authority against five children ages 13-18, who are the plaintiffs in the suit. A 13-year-old in the case gave an account with the NYPD school safety officers: “I was afraid to go back to school because one officer had ordered me to go into the school building while I was waiting for my mother. Then two more officers came and they started pulling on me too. One pushed me in the chest and then handcuffed me. When we got in the building, the same officer tripped me and I fell on my face. ” The girl spent hours alone and in handcuffs before she was released when her mother was present. The officers threatened the girl with a disorderly conduct charge, which never amounted to anything, according to court documents.

The New York Civil Liberties Union also claimed that children in middle school and high school were arrested for minor school issues such as scribbling on a desk or going to the bathroom. The class action lawsuit contends that 5200 school safety police officers should be required to be better trained and be held more accountable for serious situations of excessive force and abuse. They also demanded that the school principles be granted a more authoritative role over the school officers. 

NYCLU executive director reported that “Students were handcuffed, arrested… injured, denied medical care, illegally interrogated, intimidated and humiliated by school safety officers.” New York City received 1,159 complaints about police officers behavior in 2008. The lawsuit claims that 1 in five officers were reported for misconduct. NYC averaged 500 citizen filed complaints annually from 2002 to 2007. A recorded 27% were found to have merit.

The NYPD officers are supposed to be a protective presence in the community. If an officer oversteps their bounds, it is your right to seek help through the court system.

If you have been the victim of police brutality, a personal injury lawyer experienced in representing police brutality claims can help you file a lawsuit against the police department in order to recover compensation for your injuries, pain, medical expenses, and psychological trauma. If you or anyone you know has been seriously injured or wrongfully killed at the hands of police brutality, contact a New York police brutality lawyer who has handled numerous cases of this nature, and knows the most proactive approach to build and present your case so that you can move forward with your life.

News provided by New York personal injury attorney Jonathan C. Reiter, a police brutality lawyer. Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2811, New York, NY 10118. Telephone (212) 736-0979. www.jcreiterlaw.com

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