The Legal Aid Society released a list of New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers who garnered the highest lawsuit payouts and who were defendants in the most civil rights lawsuits alleging police misconduct that concluded between January 1 to July 26, 2022, per City data, as reported by Gothamist.

Lawsuits against three officers: Ray Medina,  Albert J. Melino, and Pedro A. Rodriguez cost taxpayers $37 million. Officer Daniel Rivera, who is still employed by the NYPD, had six separate cases disposed against him thus far in 2022, with settlements totaling $162,000. Since 2013, Rivera has been involved in 23 cases that settled for a total of $505,501.

“There is a culture within the NYPD where officers believe that they can get away with violence and other violations of New Yorkers’ rights because they are so rarely held accountable,” said Molly Griffard, an attorney with the Special Litigation Unit at The Legal Aid Society.

“Much police abuse–and the resulting lawsuit payouts–could be prevented if only the Mayor and Police Commissioner prioritized early intervention, swift disciplinary processes for abusive officers, and consistent penalties as called for in the NYPD’s disciplinary matrix,” they continued. “Instead, the NYPD allows officers like Daniel Rivera, who has racked up 23 lawsuits and over half a million dollars in payouts to continue patrolling our neighborhoods with a badge and a gun, almost guaranteeing that similar abuses will continue to occur.”

Earlier this month, Legal Aid revealed that the City paid out $67,663,389 million in lawsuits alleging police misconduct from January 1 to July 26, 2022. This amount surpasses the $62,093,491 paid out in all of 2020.