As has been observed time and time again, police can seriously harm and sometimes even kill people when carrying out an arrest, especially when it is fuelled by racism. This is particularly prevalent in the US but is tragically not uniquely an issue here. All too often, these police officers are not brought to justice, facing little to no consequences for their actions.

Seek Immediate Medical Attention

If an arrest or the use of excessive force has resulted in you being injured by a police officer, they are required to get you medical care. The only time this is not to be carried out is if this would put them at risk of being injured. 

If you are in police custody you have the right to access adequate medical care. Failure to comply with this is illegal and officers can be held accountable for deliberate harm and negligence. If an officer does not call 911 to get you a doctor or offer you first aid, you may request it yourself. Record the exact time you asked to see a doctor.

If your requests are declined you need to record this as it is crucial evidence. If you were not detained by the police, but still experienced excessive force, get yourself to an emergency room or to your doctor. Getting immediate medical care is important for your health as well as your case. A detailed medical report will be used as vital evidence for your case.

Build your medical record as soon as possible. You will need this if you choose to pursue the matter and open a case.

Document Everything

Anyone can experience police brutality. When responding to police misconduct make sure that you get the name, badge number, and police department of the officer who hurt you, as well as these same details of any other officers who witnessed or participated in the incident.

Get the contact information of anyone who witnessed the incident. Note the time, date, and location of where the incident took place. Take photos of your injuries. Find out if there is recorded evidence. This could be recorded by nearby homes, businesses, or even the police.

Preserve All of the Evidence

Any video surveillance that may have captured the incident needs to be preserved as a video can be vital to your claim against the police. Even though you are a party involved in the video, this does not give you immediate legal control over that video.

You will need to take legal action to prevent the owner from deleting the video to ensure that it is turned over to you. Surveillance can come in the form of body cameras, cell phones, police cruisers, nearby homes, anything. It is all relevant evidence and should not be deleted.

A lawyer will be able to provide all of the relevant parties with the required legal notice to prevent the videos from being destroyed, as well as any other evidence.

Call a Lawyer

It is important to know what your rights are and what the police are and are not allowed to do. A lawyer will ensure that evidence is properly preserved and that your rights are protected. You need to remember that both your human rights and civil rights have been violated.

When a police officer is in the wrong a lawyer is there to ensure that justice is upheld.

No one is above the law, especially not the police who are responsible for the upkeep of it.

The Facts

In 2020 there were only 18 days where death as the result of police brutality did not occur. In the USA as many as 9 of the states have no laws regarding the use of lethal force by police officers. However, none of the 50 States comply with international law regarding lethal force.

The majority of police brutality deaths are as a result of the use of firearms, often being shot multiple times, indicating the use of such excessive force was unnecessary.

There is a strong correlation between race and police brutality. In 2019 24% of people killed by the police identified as African American. The African American population only makes up 13% of the total US population. In 1996 a law authorized the Department of Defense to provide its surplus equipment to law enforcement officials. This equipment is often used by police to disperse peaceful protest action.

No one is above the law and if you have been a victim of police brutality you have the right to report it. Help break the cycle of discrimination by bringing your case forward and fighting the injustices of the justice system.