Police Brutality in Shelton, Connecticut

If you live in Shelton, Connecticut, you want to be aware of both the positives and negatives of your community. One potential issue that you should look out for is police brutality. While many believe that police brutality is rare, and a lot of people do not experience this in their lifetime, police brutality does happen, and it does happen in Shelton. You can learn more about this issue on this page.

What is Police Brutality?

First, it is important to understand what is police brutality and what is not. All police officers have certain powers in order to protect themselves, other officers, and the public. Police and other government officials are allowed to use force in order to keep others safe and do their jobs. However, many situations do not call for violence in order for cooperation to occur. In other situations, minimal force is needed. In these situations, if too much force is used, the police could be guilty of “excessive force,” which is a form of police brutality.

If you think that you have faced police brutality, you can take action to protect yourself and get justice. You can file a lawsuit against the person or people at fault. In addition, you could file a complaint to have the at-fault parties reprimanded.

There have been claims for police brutality in Shelton in recent years. You can get more details about these issues here:

In 2012, a lawsuit against Shelton police officers for police brutality was settled for $1,500. The plaintiff alleged that officers in 2018 entered his residence without a warrant and arrested him. Essam v. Moore, Scrib Comp. During the arrest, the officers allegedly threw the plaintiff against the wall, causing him to obtain medical treatment later.
An inmate brought a suit pro se (without an attorney) against the Shelton police department for excessive force. Raffone v. Nugent, No. 3:13-cv-1589, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5234 at *1 (D. Conn. Jan. 15, 2016). According to this source, the plaintiff asserted he was attacked and bitten by a police dog after he surrendered to the police officer. The plaintiff was arrested because he was in the basement of a woman’s home who had no contact and a 100 yard stay away order against the plaintiff. The dog was sent into the basement to find the plaintiff when he did not respond to the police officer’s warning. The police officer alleged that the dog only bit him because the dog was trying to subdue the defendant. The defendants brought a motion to dismiss, but the Connecticut Federal District Court ruled against the motion. The court stated that there was a genuine question for a jury to decide if excessive force was used when the dog bit the plaintiff.

Getting Help

As you can see, police brutality situations can be messy. Sometimes a person can bring a complaint that is not upheld by the court. To avoid being in this situation, it is a good idea to talk to an attorney before moving forward with a lawsuit or complaint. A lawyer can help you determine if you have a case and the best way for you to proceed. For assistance with a police brutality situation, contact our office.