How the Police Became Untouchable
The Lawfare Podcast
00:00
Why Officers Didn't Pay Settlements and Judgments
In 44 large agencies that I looked at, officers paid 0.02% of the dollars that were awarded to plaintiffs and police misconduct suits. In smaller jurisdictions, I found that officers never were required to pay. None of this is because of qualified immunity. These are all cases where plaintiffs prevailed. But there are multiple reasons that officers didn't pay. States across the country have indemnification laws that generally require that local governments provide for attorneys and pay settlements and judgments in cases that are successful against their officers.
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