Inappropriate conduct by police officers is a violation of a person’s civil rights. The odds against the individual in these situations often feels like David facing Goliath because the pressure of having the weight of New York State, or New Jersey municipal and state police agencies lined up against you is daunting.

Complaints about police misconduct, such as accidental or inadvertent shootings or other serious injuries caused or contributed to by the police, or any serious injury or death caused while in custody or caused by improper medical treatment or failure to render medical care, false arrest, excessive force and racial profiling, all too often fall on deaf ears.

For example, The New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board reported a record number of complaints of police misconduct in 2010. And, more than 8,200 citizens are expected to file police misconduct complaints this year. By contrast, the NYPD is prosecuting fewer numbers of complaints — down almost 40% over the past 5 years, as are New York State and New Jersey law enforcement agencies. If police in New York and New Jersey won’t discipline themselves, victims of abuse must step forward and hold police accountable for their actions.  Victims such as witnesses, friends of crime victims, relatives of victims, innocent bystanders and, of course, the victims themselves.

The law says the police may not arrest you without probable cause. If you have been victimized, harassed, assaulted or falsely arrested or jailed, you have the right to demand justice and to receive compensation for your injuries.

In these situations, the best thing for you to do is to speak with an experienced New York and New Jersey civil justice/police brutality lawyer.