Aggressively Fighting For Your Rights

  1. Home
  2.  » 
  3. Civil Rights
  4.  » Excessive force and police brutality violate civil rights

Excessive force and police brutality violate civil rights

On Behalf of | Aug 9, 2022 | Civil Rights, Police Brutality

New Jersey residents who are stopped or questioned by police expect to be treated fairly. However, situations involving excessive force and police brutality are violations of your civil rights. It’s important to know what to do in that scenario.

What are excessive force and police brutality?

Police officers are supposed to treat suspects and anyone else they encounter with respect. They are required to ensure that no one’s civil rights are violated even if they are arresting someone for a possible crime. If an officer uses excessive force, it means that they are going beyond what is considered acceptable when apprehending a suspect.

Police brutality goes hand-in-hand with excessive force. While it’s legal for police to use deadly force in certain situations such as when an officer’s life is threatened by a suspect, they cannot use police brutality when a suspect is compliant. This would make excessive force and police brutality a violation of the person’s Fourth Amendment rights.

How can police brutality be identified?

If you have been apprehended by police, there are signs that can indicate that you are the victim of police brutality. These are some of the most common examples:

  • The police officer used excessive force.
  • One or more police officers assaulted you.
  • You were falsely arrested.
  • You were tased or pepper sprayed for no reason.
  • You were denied medical treatment during or after your arrest when you obviously needed it.
  • You were unlawfully detained.
  • You were the victim of an unlawful search and seizure.

Some police officers are guilty of misconduct when dealing with suspects. This problem seems to happen more often than many people might think. If your civil rights were violated by police, you may have a legitimate case.