POLICE ABUSE / CIVIL RIGHT VIOLATIONS
Ask your average New Yorker what they think about police misconduct and you may be surprised to find that most of them think it is a serious problem in our state. That is what a 2008 Quinnipiac University study concluded when they discovered that two of every three New Yorkers polled feel that police brutality is a “very” or “somewhat” serious problem.
Although we all welcome an increase in police presence and visibility, our hope is to further protect our communities, not create another threat against our neighbors and ourselves. While most police officers uphold the law and safeguard our liberties, some take advantage of their power.
Police abuse is a serious offense, which can involve actions such as unreasonable search and seizure, wrongful or unlawful arrest, assault and battery, false imprisonment, use of excessive force, prison or detention facility abuse, and more. While cases against law enforcement are often more complex and difficult than cases involving private citizens, such suits are often necessary to safeguard the rights of the people.
Civil rights violations are not limited to abuses by police officers. A deprivation of rights can arise from other improper governmental actions including foster care abuse, unlawful removal of children from the custody of their parents, malicious prosecution, educational discrimination, disability-based discrimination, and infringements upon free speech, assembly and religion.
In many cases of police abuse or civil rights violations, victims are scared of the consequences of taking action to protect and exercise their legal rights. Others may not even know that what the officer did was wrong or violated their rights. Steve Marchelos is committed to protect your rights especially when they are abused by someone whom the community has entrusted with their safety. If you or a loved one has been harmed due to police abuse, misconduct or other civil rights abuses, it is wise to seek the counsel of an attorney who has had years of experience in this area of the law. Please contact Marchelos Law today to learn more.