Two separate lawsuits against the Detroit Police Department claim that an officer engaged in illegal conduct that was motivated by race. In one case, a woman claims that the police officer broke her arm in May 2018. In the other, that same officer was seen making fun of a woman after her car was seized.
The first case involved a woman who called police after an incident involving the girlfriend of her child’s father. She claims that she was forced to place her hands behind her back suddenly while holding her son. Another officer took the child prior to the woman being shoved against a vehicle. The woman alleges that her arm was then bent in an unnatural fashion resulting in the injury.
In the second incident, which occurred in January 2019, a woman who had her car taken was forced to walk in inclement weather. She said that she started to walk home because she was in fear of the officers in question. The vehicle was confiscated because it did not have proper tags. According to the second woman’s lawsuit, the police department knew that one of the officers involved had a history of racist behavior. However, the suit did acknowledge that both the police chief and the mayor denounced their actions.
Individuals who experience mistreatment at the hands of an officer may have the right to take legal action. While officers are allowed to restrain those who are violating the law, they are generally not allowed to use excessive force to do so. An attorney may gather evidence showing that a person was injured or otherwise subject to harassment by an officer. Evidence may include videos of an incident, statements from witnesses or testimony from the plaintiff.
