Philadelphia Police Misconduct Lawyers Discuss the Taxpayer Cost of Police Misconduct

Victims of police brutality in Philadelphia should always be given the compensation that they deserve. That being said, it has recently become clear that neither police departments nor the officers responsible are made to pay lawsuit fees. Rather, Philadelphia police misconduct lawyers report, that burden falls upon the area’s taxpayers. Independent researchers discovered that taxpayers have paid the legal fees for multiple types of police brutality since at least 2009. Due to the public costs of police misconduct settlements, it is in the interest of any taxpayer to reduce incidences of it.

Statistics of Taxpayer Costs for Police Misconduct Settlements

Philadelphia is one of the many cities affected by this policy. Since January 2009, the people of Philadelphia paid $40 million of their taxes in order to settle 584 of the 1,223 police brutality lawsuits charged against the Philadelphia police department. The trend is even higher in other cities, with New York residents having paid more than $428 million in that same period in order to settle police misconduct lawsuits. Additionally, Chicago residents have paid nearly half a billion dollars towards these settlements.

How to Make a Change

There are many proposed methods for reducing the legal costs of police brutality. The most straightforward is simply to hold officers to a higher standard. Methods such as use of body cameras have proven to be effective in curbing the number of lawsuits. Additionally, further training has also been shown to be beneficial in curtailing police misconduct rates.

Until new laws are put into place, one of the most effective ways fight police conduct is by spreading awareness of it.

Philadelphia Police Misconduct Lawyers at The Law Offices of Patrick G. Geckle LLC Fight for Victims of Police Brutality

If you or someone you know has been the victim of police brutality, the effective and dedicated Philadelphia police misconduct lawyers at The Law Offices of Patrick G. Geckle are devoted to fighting for you. Call us at 215-735-3326 or toll-free at 800-555-7780, or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. From our office in Philadelphia, we serve clients from Philadelphia and Delaware County, Montgomery County, Bucks County, and Chester County.