Police Brutality in Wallingford, Connecticut

You may have been hearing stories about police brutality and excessive force in the media. But, does this really happen? And does it happen near you? Unfortunately, there are many police officers and other law enforcement agents that abuse their power and cause harm. While not all police officers do this, a surprising portion do. If you are stopped by the police, the situation could quickly escalate and become unsafe for you. If you have faced a situation like this, you could be the victim of police brutality and excessive force. Learn more about these issues, as well as how they impact your community in Wallingford, Connecticut, here.

What are Police Brutality and Excessive Force?

While police officers and other government officials are allowed to use force in some situations, that force can quickly become excessive if the officers are not careful. Police can use force in order to protect themselves and others, or to subdue someone who is resisting them. But if they use too much force for the situation, this constitutes excessive force, and this leads to police brutality.

Understanding if your specific situation constitutes police brutality can be tricky. For this reason, it is best to have an attorney review your situation and help you understand your rights as well as if you should proceed in pressing charges.

Wallingford is not exempt of police brutality and excessive force situations. Here are a few that the town has faced in the past few years:

In 2018, a Wallingford police officer served a two-week suspension for use of excessive force. As mentioned in the article linked above, the police officer allegedly punched a handcuffed suspect in the face which knocked him unconscious while he was arresting him for a domestic dispute. The incident was caught and confirmed on camera by police car dash cam. This second article claims that the video showed the officer striking the handcuffed man while he struggles to get into the back of the cruiser. In this case, the force was excessive and unnecessary because the suspect was already handcuffed and subdued. They were not a threat, so there was no reason to exert violence towards the suspect.
A Florida woman in 2019, was seeking $775,000 from the Town of Wallingford for the excessive force Wallingford police officers used against her. According to the article linked in the previous sentence, the woman left the scene of a car accident she was involved in and when officers found her, they determined that she was not safe to drive. The officers allegedly put the woman on the ground, placed his foot and knee on her head and placed her in handcuffs. The woman suffered a wrist fracture from the altercation.

Getting Help

Excessive force and police brutality happen more than you think. If you feel that your rights have been violated, our office can help. Contact us to discuss your situation, learn about your options, and determine the best way to proceed. We are happy to assist you at this time.