this post was submitted on 01 Mar 2024
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New York Police Department (NYPD) misconduct lawsuits have cost the city more than $540 million the last six years, according to an analysis of government data released Thursday.

Since 2018, the lawsuits have totaled $548,047,141, including $114,586,723 for 2023 alone, according to The Legal Aid Society. The real total payouts for police misconduct is almost certainly higher, since the data does not include matters that were settled with the comptroller’s office before formal litigation, according to the organization.

With few exceptions, the number of disposed lawsuits each year has decreased but the median payout has continued to grow. In 2018, there were 1,579 settlements, for a median payout of $10,500. By 2023, there were 801 lawsuits settled, at a median payout of $25,000.

Jennvine Wong, a staff attorney with the Cop Accountability Project at The Legal Aid Society, said the total amount of funds from the payouts was “staggering” and said it reveals a system that fails to hold officers accountable.

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[–] [email protected] 52 points 8 months ago (1 children)

And its so much bullshit that taxpayers have to cover the bill to this unhinged subscription to violence and misconduct.

It should be the police unions and pension funds and retirement packages that are getting squeezed on these lawsuits.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

And yet you don't really see the outrage from New Yorkers for some reason. Not really.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Speaking as a native NYer.

A lot of voters remember the 1960s-1980s. Crime was rampant and street muggings were common. That was before we got rid of lead in gasoline. The 1980s were completely crazy, with Reagan era homeless camps all over, plus Reagan inspired Crack Wars. Add in Ethan Patz being kidnapped off the street and you had Fear City.

Another problem is that after 9/11 a lot of older cops who would normally have hung in for the thirty year pension quit and were replaced by rookies who saw themselves as anti-terror troops, no peace officers. Back in the day, the more experienced cops would teach the rookies to interact with the community; now the older cops are frustrated Punisher wannabes.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 8 months ago

It's unfortunate that they forget the context of the 60s-80s. The government and Robert Moses bulldozed entire ass communities to build freeways through NYC, and then displaced those folks into the projects. There's a lot more detail to it and other factors (like redlining) than that, but it should hardly come as a shock that destroying the wealth of entire communities really didn't work out great a couple decades down the line.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

That was before we got rid of lead in gasoline.

Left out the part where white ppl left the cities to their racist as shit suburbs. Taking economic opportunities with them. Lead gas definitely had a negative effect but come on.

Back in the day, the more experienced cops would teach the rookies to interact with the community;

Right I guess Miles Davis getting his head cracked open in 59, shooting an unarmed 15 year old in 64, and them torturing Frank Lino in 62 was just community outreach

The NYPD have ALWAYS been corrupt punisher wannabes

[–] [email protected] 40 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Jesus Christ, make cops require personal insurance for these payouts and watch the problem solve itself

[–] [email protected] 32 points 8 months ago
[–] [email protected] 36 points 8 months ago (1 children)

This should all come from police pensions and retirement funds.

That will end police misconduct practically overnight.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 8 months ago (1 children)

They should need to carry malpractice insurance like doctors do. Let the insurance companies weed out the costly bullies.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

If you take it out of the general pension/ retirement funds, you'll create a culture of self regulation, where the more senior, closer to retirement individuals, will absolutely not put up with some dumb ass rookie jeopardizing their money. You want to get change from people? Go after their money. I really only think you can solve police misconduct by changing the culture, so there has to be some kind of feedback mechanism that does this. This is the mechanism I've thought of. There has to be a kind of 'collective punishment' to change the culture.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Too difficult to implement. What other professionals need to collectively pay fines and judgements from their retirement savings? What's the precedent?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Difficult to implement?

Easy as heck to implement. Union pensions are managed as a pool. When a union member commits a violation, it gets paid for out of the pool and the entire union suffers. The first time that a police officer violates civil rights, that officer will get crucified and it will never happen again.

In the current system, the community paying for the police foots the bill and there is no accountability. In the system I'm proposing the police are directly accountable for conduct, with more Sr. personal being more accountable (because they are more heavily vested in the pension).

This approach can even be used to promote furthering the development of unions. Its a win win win.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

They'd sue to stop it and you'd be forced to pay it all back.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 8 months ago

Dddddefund.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago

Cheif Cop Adams doesn't care.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago

No problem. Trump's fine should just about cover that. Nothing to worry about, boys. Keep up the good work!

/s