The majority of law enforcement officers in this country perform their difficult occupations with a respect for the law and the community. However, there are some officers who believe that the power of their job elevates them to a different position then you and me…above the law. When an officer acts in a manner contrary to the law, he or she is engaging in police misconduct.
It is a violation of your rights for an officer acting under the “color of law” to deprive you of any right protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States. Police misconduct prohibited by these laws includes excessive force, sexual assault, intentional false arrest, and the intentional creation of evidence resulting in a loss of liberty to another.
Most of us think that we could never be a victim of police misconduct because we obey the law. In my practice, I commonly encounter the mentality that only criminals have run-ins with law enforcement officers. Bad things only happen to bad people right? The scary truth is that we are all potential victims.
