Misconduct Suits Against New York City Police Department on the Rise
by Douglas Ankney
After two years of being on the decline, misconduct suits against New York City’s Police Department (“NYPD”) are on the rise. In 2018, there were 1,586 claims filed compared with 1,391 submitted in 2017. There has been a downward trend since 2014 when 3,084 claims were filed.
NYPD officials said they are improving, citing a 48.5 percent decline in lawsuits between 2015 and 2018. Spokeswoman Sgt. Jessica McRorie said, “That reduction in volume of litigation gains the public’s trust and respect, thereby advancing the goals of neighborhood policing—to collaboratively solve problems with community members, drive down crime and enhance public safety.”
But Tina Luongo from the Legal Aid Society believes the uptick in claims is cause for alarm: “This reporting sheds some more light on the rampant problem of misconduct at the New York City Police Department. We hope that this reporting helps to further the conversation to revamp the NYPD’s current disciplinary process so that officers who commit these heinous crimes and who betray the public’s trust will receive more than a slap on the wrist.”
The city paid out $57 million in NYPD settlements in 2018, compared with $14 million in 2014. But in 2017, the most money was paid—$142 million—to settle high-profile cases from 2014 through 2016. In the past five years, the NYPD has cost the city $384 million in lawsuit damages.
---
Source: nypost.com
As a digital subscriber to Criminal Legal News, you can access full text and downloads for this and other premium content.
Already a subscriber? Login
More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- Another Life Ruined as a Result of a Bad Cop and Failure to Follow Policy, by Douglas Ankney
- Stop Peeking Inside the Black Box
- Over a Year After Cook County Bail Reform, Jails Are Still Full, by Dale Chappell
- $250,000 Awarded to Woman Who Spent 96 Days in Jail, by Douglas Ankney
- Getting Rid of the ‘X’, by Jayson Hawkins
- FBI Using Private Ancestry Databases to Zero in on Suspects, by Edward Lyon
- Misconduct Suits Against New York City Police Department on the Rise, by Douglas Ankney
- Study: Technology Creates and Embeds Bias in the Criminal Justice System, by Douglas Ankney
- Modern Forensics Findings Not Always 100 Percent Reliable, by Edward Lyon
- Police Want Unfettered Access to Consumer DNA Databases, by Kevin Bliss
- Court’s in Session: The Honorable Algorithm Presiding, by Douglas Ankney
- Prosecutors Use Blacklists to Keep Dishonest Officers out of the Courtroom, by Kevin Bliss
- Taking Pictures in the Dark: Florida Police Not Forthcoming About Investigations Using Facial Recognition Software, by Douglas Ankney
- Killer Cops and Vilified Victims, by Jayson Hawkins
- Ohio Mayor’s Courts Are Huge Sources of Unjust Revenues, by Edward Lyon
- In a Rare Move, California Court of Appeal Discharges Prisoner from All Forms of Custody, Including Parole, After Finding Time Served in Prison Grossly Disproportionate to His Offense, by Douglas Ankney
- Fourth Circuit Tosses Evidence Discovered by Illegal GPS Tracker, by Dale Chappell
- Hawai’i Supreme Court: Cumulative Effect of Multiple Instances of Prosecutorial Misconduct Requires Reversal, by Douglas Ankney
- D.C. Circuit Holds Expert’s False Testimony ‘Material,’ Allowing Challenge to Four-Decade-Old Murder Conviction, by Dale Chappell
- Ninth Circuit Rules Robbery Committed Alone by Gang Member Not Enough for California Gang Enhancement, Despite Testimony of Gang Expert, by Dale Chappell
- Fourth Circuit Rules Assault on Government Official Under North Carolina Statute Not a ‘Crime of Violence’, by Chad Marks
- Eighth Circuit: Forfeited Claim of Miscalculated Criminal History Score Is Reviewable Under Plain Error Standard, by Douglas Ankney
- Violence in the House: Studies Find Cops’ Families Live Dangerous Lives, by Edward Lyon
- Ohio Supreme Court: Plea Defendant Must Be Informed of Maximum Penalty for Postrelease-Control Violation Prior to Pleading Guilty to a New Felony, by David Reutter
- Police Avoid Negative Publicity by Routinely Withholding Body-Cam Footage, by Kevin Bliss
- Indiana Supreme Court: IAC Where Lawyer Marks ‘Not Applicable’ to Immigration Consequences Warning on Court’s Advisement Form Without Knowing Client’s Immigration Status, by David Reutter
- Hawai’i Supreme Court Announces New Rule Requiring Tachibana Colloquy in All Trials, by Douglas Ankney
- Kansas Supreme Court: Correcting Illegal Sentence After Fully Served Violates Prohibition Against Double Jeopardy, by Matthew Clarke
- Missouri Supreme Court Issues Writ of Prohibition Prohibiting Circuit Court From Revoking Probation After Probation Term Had Already Expired, by Douglas Ankney
- Forced Self-Incrimination, by Larry N.
- Second Circuit Holds Government’s Misleading Disclosure of Inculpatory Statement Requires New Trial, by Dale Chappell
- Prosecutorial Power Used Too Often to Stop Prisoners From Getting Second Chance at Life, by Chad Marks
- 11th Circuit Holds Conviction Under Georgia’s Aggravated Assault Statute Is Not a ‘Crime of Violence’ When Based Upon a Mens Rea of Recklessness, by Douglas Ankney
- Attempted Felony-Murder Is Not a Cognizable Crime in West Virginia, by Douglas Ankney
- Arkansas Supreme Court Rules Justification Defense Available When Charged With Manslaughter, by David Reutter
- Washington Supreme Court Rules Attenuation Doctrine Inapplicable Where Police Illegally Seize Person Followed by Ferrier Warnings and Consent to Search, Evidence Must Be Suppressed, by Douglas Ankney
- Fifth Circuit Rules Evidence of Counsel’s Dual Representation of Defendant and Codefendant Results in Possible Actual Conflict of Interest Requires Evidentiary Hearing, by Dale Chappell
- North Dakota Supreme Court Reinstates Postconviction Relief Application Dismissed Without Notice of Motion for Summary Disposition, by Matthew Clarke
- Oregon Supreme Court: State Constitution Requires Warrant to Specify When Internet Searches Occurred, by Mark Wilson
- Maryland Court of Appeals Holds Valid Prescription Constitutes ‘Verbal Act’ Thus Not Barred From Evidence as Hearsay When Basis for Statutory Defense, by Dale Chappell
- Second Circuit Rules District Court Improperly Denied Coram Nobis Petition Claiming Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, by Douglas Ankney
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Announces in Case of First Impression That Police Causing Cellphone to Reveal Its Real Time Location Is a Search Under State Constitution, by Douglas Ankney
- Eighth Circuit Finds Child Porn Sentence ‘Substantively Unreasonable’, by Dale Chappell
- Fourth Circuit Rules Government Breached Plea Agreement When It Failed to Honor Its Drug Conduct Stipulation at Sentencing, by Chad Marks
- Compelled Decryption Primer, by National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Fourth Amendment Center
- Illinois Enacts Youthful Parole for Some, by Clifford Powers
- Judge Weinstein Holds that an Appeal Waiver Provision in a Plea Agreement that Seeks a Waiver of All Collateral Rights Is Impermissible Under the Constitution Unless it Specifically Enumerates All Exceptions Required by Law So that a Defendant Has Notice, by Punch & Jurists
- Ninth Circuit: Washington State Accomplice Liability Drug Offenses Not ACCA Predicates, by Mark Wilson
- Locking Up Drug ‘Dealers’ to Save Users Doesn’t Make Anyone Safer, by Alyssa Stryker
- Jury Takes Just 9 Minutes to Find Man Who Blared ‘F--k tha Police’ Toward Cops Not Guilty, by Dale Chappell
- Policing for Profit: Justice Reformers Chip Away at Civil Asset Forfeiture, by Noreen Marcus
More from Douglas Ankney:
- Fifth Circuit Announces When Initial § 2255 Petition Not Decided on Merits and Appeals Court Later Recalls Mandate Dismissing Direct Appeal and Affirms Conviction, Subsequent § 2255 Petition Not ‘Second or Successive’ Under AEDPA, Aug. 1, 2025
- $340,000 for Former Massachusetts Prisoner Whose Baby Was Stillborn, July 15, 2025
- New Jersey Supreme Court Refuses Guard’s Challenge to Firing for Failing to Report Kiss with Prisoner, July 15, 2025
- New York City Loses Bid to Withhold Jail Records, July 15, 2025
- Eleventh Circuit Announces New Deliberate Indifference Framework in Dismissing Georgia Prisoner’s Claim for Skipped Anti-Seizure Meds, July 15, 2025
- Washington Jail Settles DOJ Allegations of ADA Noncompliance in Failure to Treat Opioid Use Disorder, July 15, 2025
- Ohio Supreme Court Says Sheriff Must Get and Disclose Records of Private Contractors, July 15, 2025
- Third Circuit Rejects U.S. Sentencing Commission Amended Compassionate Release Policy, July 15, 2025
- South Carolina Prisoners Granted Class-Action Status in Suit Over Low Wages in Prison Industries Jobs, July 15, 2025
- Fourth Circuit Announces Counterman v. Colorado Is New Rule of Constitutional Law That Applies Retroactively to Cases on Collateral Review and Grants Authorization to File Successive § 2255 Motion, July 1, 2025
More from these topics:
- News in Brief, Aug. 1, 2025. Assault by Police, Misconduct/Corruption, Guard Misconduct, Police Misconduct, Stun Guns/Tasers, Immigration, False Arrest, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of.
- Trump’s “Border Czar” Was on GEO Group Payroll, July 15, 2025. GEO Group/Wackenhut, Misconduct/Corruption, Detention - Generally.
- Florida Sheriff Charged in Connection with Massive $21 Million Gambling Ring, July 15, 2025. Misconduct/Corruption, Gambling Crimes, Money Laundering/Structuring.
- Trump Pardons Virginia Sheriff Convicted of a Bribes-for-Badges Scheme, July 15, 2025. Misconduct/Corruption, Pardons/Clemency, Bribery/Extortion/Theft.
- Arkansas Ex-Police Chief Known as “Devil in the Ozarks” Re-Captured After Prison Escape, July 15, 2025. Police Misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Escapes.
- News in Brief, July 1, 2025. Misconduct/Corruption, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Shootings, Dogs, Police--Excessive Force, Brady Violations, Home Search, Bribery/Extortion/Theft, Brady Rule violations, Perjury/Perjured Testimony.
- How Police Departments Hire Bad Cops: The Shadow System Protecting ‘Wandering Officers’, July 1, 2025. Police Misconduct, Government Misconduct, Police/Govt Misconduct.
- Former Wisconsin Warden Gets No Cell Time, $500 Fine After Prisoner Deaths, June 1, 2025. Misconduct/Corruption, Guard Misconduct, Failure to Protect (General).
- Salvadoran President’s Dark Secret Allegedly Behind Deal to Hold Deported Migrants in “Mega” Prison, June 1, 2025. Misconduct/Corruption, Conditions of Confinement, Immigration.
- Connecticut Compensates Exonerated Prisoners, Reforms Policing, April 15, 2025. Police Misconduct, Settlements, Wrongful Conviction.