Often the same officers inflicting injury, leading to over eleven-million in settlements (and more, of course, in uncompensated injuries and litigation costs).
The Sun found troubling patterns: many of the same officers were involved in case after case of excessive force. In almost every case, prosecutors and judges dropped charges officers brought against citizens. And even after big payouts, the cops routinely kept their jobs.
“The court files and the transcripts, they show a lot of severe injuries: broken noses, broken arms, broken legs, broken jaws,” said Mark Puente, investigative reporter at the Baltimore Sun.
But the Fraternal Order of Police contended the officers are not brutal and many people file frivolous lawsuits to take advantage of them.
As for the city’s response:
“We have made it very clear that any cases brought to us—any allegations of police misconduct, whether it’s criminal, whether it’s administrative or excessive force—we will investigate it to the fullest,” said Deputy Police Commissioner Jerry Rodriguez.
Via Investigation: Balt. Police Brutality Settlements Cost Taxpayers $11.5M @ CBS Baltimore.