Police Brutality in Wethersfield, Connecticut

Excessive force and other police brutality issues have been making the news more and more. If you are worried about police brutality in your area, it is important to understand it further. If you live in Wethersfield, Connecticut, understand that there have been police brutality claims in the area in the past few years. You can learn more about police brutality and the Wethersfield community on this page.

What is Police Brutality?

If you think that you are the victim of police brutality, you can take certain steps to protect yourself. For example, you can file a lawsuit or a complaint against the at-fault party.

But first, it is important to understand what police brutality is. Not every instance of force exerted by a police officer is excessive or is considered police brutality. This is only the case if a police officer uses too much force for the situation that they are in. For example, if they are assaulting someone who is not resisting them or is no threat to them.

Police Brutality in Wethersfield, Connecticut

Wethersfield has had some recent issues with police brutality. You can learn more about these situations here:

1. In April 2019, an 18-year-old teen male died in a Wethersfield police officer involved shooting. This article explains that the family is planning on suing the Wethersfield police department for excessive force because they did not need to shoot the teen multiple times in the head. The police thought the car that the victim was in might be stolen. However, the family of the teen says it was not. The care was just unregistered. Lawyers for the family commented to the media that the officer “acted recklessly” and there was no reason to shoot at an unarmed couple over a problem with license plates. Video has been released of the shooting showing the officer yelling “show me your hands” and then opening fire at the car as it comes towards him. An investigation in regard to the shooting has been opened.
2. A plaintiff filed a 1983 civil rights action against the Wethersfield police department and 10 unidentified Wethersfield police officers for excessive force. Barrow v. Wethersfield Police Dep’t, 66 F.3d 466 (2d Cir. 1995). This source claims that the Second Circuit Appellate Court ruled in favor of the defendants and dismissed the claim because the plaintiff did not name the individual officers in any of the complaints he filed.

Getting Help

As you can see, not all police brutality complaints work out in the plaintiff’s favor. For this reason, it is a good idea to talk with a lawyer who can help you determine the best way to proceed with your situation, or if you even have a case. To discuss your issue with an attorney, contact our office today. We are happy to answer your questions and help you determine the best course of action for your situation.