When the Police Go Too Far: Protect your Rights

KellyK
May 8, 2013

When the topic of police brutality is brought up in conversation, the first thing that comes to mind is a police officer using excessive physical force on a suspect. You imagine the officer physically beating the suspect and that the suspect is unable to fight back. This is a very common perception of this type of event.

Police brutality, however, has many forms. It is more than just excessive physical abuse, it also includes the following:

Verbal Abuse Meant To Intimidate

The use of specific language toward the arrested suspect in a manner that will lead them to believe that they will be harmed or that they were arrested for a reason other than the alleged crime is a form of police brutality. An example of this would be threatening to take the suspect somewhere other than jail to “settle this matter.” Anyone who has been treated in this manner needs to contact a firm with attorneys who are experienced, like the lawyers at the Devore Law Office in Minnesota, with police brutality cases.

A police officer that uses their position to sexually abuse a man or woman when they are arrested is committing police brutality. This also includes telling the suspect that they can be set free by performing a specific sexual act.

Unnecessary Taser Use

While many police departments see Taser use as a quick and easy way to take down a suspect, it is quickly becoming the preferred method, even if it was not necessary. Tasers can seriously injure the suspect, including causing heart attacks, and should only be used under special circumstances as stated in most police handbooks.

False Arrests

There is a difference between arresting someone and later finding out that there was a mistake and arresting someone without cause or evidence. There have been occasions where police will profile a suspect and arrest them based on these assumptions and not on any true evidence. Profiling is a form of brutality.

False Imprisonment

The police cannot detain you as a suspect outside of the police station or jail. They cannot detain you without the intention of making an arrest for an extended period of time. While this does not include questioning at a crime scene, it does include things such as coming to your home or job and refusing to let you leave until you comply with their demands.

Protect Your Rights

If you have been subjected to any type of police brutality, you have rights under the law to compensation for your injuries. Regardless of any criminal conviction that you may face or have received, you are still protected under the Due Process clause of the United States Constitution.

Anyone that has suffered from police brutality should contact an attorney that understands these types of cases and have them review the events which make you believe brutality was involved. If it is established that the police in fact used brutality as any part of the arrest, the attorney will proceed with legal action on your behalf.

Additionally, if you have been victimized by the police through a brutal arrest, it is your responsibility to make these actions known. By standing up for your rights through your attorney, you can help prevent others from being victimized as well.

As a paralegal, Kelly Kovacic researches legal topics to help others become aware of their rights in these type of situations. In Minnesota, the attorneys from the Devore Law Office have been recognized for their outstanding work in defending their clients in such cases.