How to Best Support a Victim of Police Misconduct?

With the rising cases of police brutality amongst people of color in the United States, the law enforcement system is under constant scrutiny. Excessive force used by police officers during routine questing, arrest, etc., is increasingly becoming the cause of stress and anxiety, especially for the minorities. During these unfortunate events, if a loved one or an acquaintance of yours is a victim of police brutality, support and compassion are what they need from you, followed by guidance by experienced police misconduct attorneys in New York. Outlined below are some of the best ways to help by offering personal support to a survivor of police misconduct:

• Sharing the Experience- Acknowledging the traumatic incident in its raw, brutal form may be difficult for many; however, sharing the incident by narration can be a good start. For this, they need a safe space among family, friends, and their civil rights attorneys in Manhattan to go through the incident in detail. Some may find it easy to acknowledge the misconduct and be ready to take the next step towards healing, while others may have first dealt with denial and minimization of the issue. In both cases, the survivor must feel safe at all times as they are encouraged to confide in their trusted group.
• Dealing with Negative Emotions- Reflecting back to the rising incidents of police misconduct against minorities, the victims soon become aware of this factor and suffer a myriad of self-deprecating emotions. Shame, self-blame, and internalized racism are some of the self-destructive attacks that the survivor deals with on a daily basis. The struggle intensifies as the victim will have to face these emotions in real-time over and over again, as they face the abuser and fight for their civil rights and attain justice in court.
• Coping with Anger- it has been seen by experienced civil rights attorneys in Manhattan and trauma counselors that when processing any form of trauma, self-blame and internalized devaluation often stem to make sense of the causal factors. For example, victims of police brutality may experience their ethnicity or race as a reason why they were abused, and this self-blame soon manifests itself into anger or rage in an unhealthy way of coping. Therefore, experts recommend that all trauma survivors seek professional care to help them diverge onto healthy and sustainable coping strategies, identify and validate their feelings, and channel them in healthy ways to prevent self-destructive behavior.

Survivors of misconduct at the hands of law enforcers can be a challenging experience as the victim fights for justice in court and also internally deals with the emotional aftermath of the trauma. Seeking guidance and counseling from a compassionate and experienced team of police brutality attorneys in New York is a great first start towards a healing process.

What To Do If You Witness Police Brutality!!

Since that fateful day when George Floyd was brutally murdered by a Minneapolis police officer, the debate regarding the bystanders’ power and powerlessness both has been aflame. If it weren't for a witness who filmed the entire incident, the case would have probably never seen the light of the day. Therefore, as the world came forward in support and agitation against the racial discrimination and increased incidents of police misconduct, brutality lawyers in Brooklyn take a stand to advise witnesses and how to react.

Being a victim of police misconduct can be unimaginable. But, if you are a bystander, the feeling of powerlessness can be crippling as there seems to be nothing one can do. Fortunately, there are some ways that you can be of help to a victim of police brutality.

According to expert police misconduct attorneys in New York, a citizen can legally make an arrest. Hence, can also intervene to stop a police officer from harming a fellow citizen. However, it may not always be safe. So, you can do the following things in your power to fight against the abuse of power by police personnel.

• Maintain a safe distance and record what is happening. The urge to intervene and save a life can overpower anyone. However, you may be arrested for doing so and might even be killed if you are a person of color. Therefore, the best thing to do is keep a safe distance pull out your phone, and fill the entire incident. Most importantly, do not let anyone tell you that you can't use your rights of recording a public incident. In fact, narrate what happens simultaneously as it can benefit the victim’s case in front of a jury.
• Details matter. As you record or narrate the incident, try to focus on the details like the arresting officer’s name or badge number, etc. Even if you are at a distance, try to note the description of the offender if you are comfortable as this may be vital in proving your stand in front of a jury.
• Call the police on a police officer. Yes, this may sound absurd, but not all police officers are the same. Hence, call another officer if you witness a police officer abusing his or her power. So, call 911 dispatch and report the incident immediately as this can help dissipate the situation and save the victim’s life.
• Wait before you post the video. Your instinct may be to live stream the whole incident to the world but it may not be safe for you as you may bear the brunt of the whole world for recording the incident instead of helping the victim. So, to avoid being subjected to cyber harassment and trolling like the minor who filmed the George Floyd incident faced, take the video to the victim’s attorney as substantial evidence rather than sharing it with the world instantly.

Therefore, the power of a witness may seem cloaked in the heat of the incident. However, you can still be of help to a victim if you remain calm. So, if you ever witness any such incident, whether it is against a stranger or someone you know, take the information to Cohen & Fitch LLP to help the victim get the justice they deserve. Contact our team to know about the legal proceedings of filing a report against police brutality.

How to Take Legal Action Against Police Brutality?

Every day new cases of police brutality are emerging in the U.S. The recent increase in police brutality necessitated the government to make stricter laws to prevent police brutality. Although police officers are supposed to protect and make people feel safe, some police officers still constantly engage in police misconduct. As per federal laws, it is unlawful for state or local police officers to continually misuse their position and violate a person’s legal rights by using brute force, harassment, false arrests, unlawful stops, searches, or arrests.  So, if you or your loved one has been a victim of police brutality, you can consult with New York City Police Brutality Attorneys for legal guidance. 

Following are the legal actions you can take against police brutality:

• Filling an internal complaint

Police stations have a system in place for dealing with police officers who misuse their power. So, if you encounter police misconduct, you may notify the police station authorities by filing an internal complaint. Initially, the department will internally investigate the complaint, which may lead to the police officer’s suspension, termination, or a warning, but it does not provide any compensation for the victim.

• Filling a criminal complaint

If the police misconduct includes excessive use of unreasonable force, i.e., police brutality, sexual assault, false arrest, or even results in physical injuries to the victim, it could be considered as grounds for taking the case to legal trial against the assaulting officer. However, before filing a criminal complaint, you will need to look for experienced Brutality Law Firms in Queens, NY, to get valuable legal guidance and an attorney who can represent you in the court of law.

•  Find a brutality lawyer

If you have damning evidence of the police misconduct and brutality against the assaulting officer, it is crucial to find an experienced police brutality lawyer to file a legal claim. A legal claim can help the victims collect monetary compensation for their suffering and subjects the accused to legal repercussions.

If you have been a victim of police brutality, consult with experienced New York City Police Brutality Attorneys for expert legal assistance. Get in touch with our team to schedule a consultation.

When can you sue the police in case of Excessive Force?

At some point of time, you will come across a situation where the police officers may cross all the limits and often leave individuals with major injuries. If you are someone who has gone through the same you may not understand what happened. So what is the next thing you should do? You should be aware of the fact that you can file a case of excessive force and sue them. Consider hiring an excessive force lawyer and let them handle the case.

There is a usual myth that an individual cannot file a case when he/she is arrested even if the police officers used excessive force. This is not the truth. In a situation when an individual is announced guilty, they can still file a case.

How much force can be known as an excessive force?

Signs of excessive force does not consist of bruises, broken bones and cuts. In a situation where the person arrested in running away from the police or fighting back, it will be automatically given a justification to excessive force. Moreover, the look and size also count. In case a smaller police officer is trying to arrest an individual who is bigger than him. And the bigger person is not obeying the police officer, the excessive force used by the police will be considered logical. Next, if the person arrested is behaving in an offensive manner, a police officer making use of force is reasonable. Nevertheless, the police officer needs to stop making use of excessive force when an arrestee is behaving properly and is under custody. If and when the police crosses the limit, a strict action may be taken against the police officer. In spite of the fact that there are certain guidelines that the officers should follow, it is natural that the officers should be at their best behavior at the heat of the moment.

Evidence of Excessive Force

Previously finding evidence against the officers using excessive force was difficult. At present doing the same has become easier. All thanks to the cameras installed at the public places. Next, the public tends to record videos. The videos made are enough to prove who is guilty.

Also Read: Can you file a lawsuit after experiencing Police Brutality?
 

These are some of the facts that you should know about excessive force. If you have any questions do not feel shy to get in touch with Civil Rights Attorney in Manhattan and Excessive Force Lawyer.