Legal Aid Society

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LAS Applauds New Restriction of Police Officer "Qualified Immunity"

The Legal Aid Society applauded legislation passed by the New York City Council on Thursday that limits qualified immunity for NYPD officers – a longstanding but controversial legal protection officers used to protect themselves from lawsuits brought over allegations of misconduct.

The bill establishes a local right — the protection against unreasonable searches and the use of excessive force — and says officers cannot use the qualified immunity defense against it, as reported by The New York Times.

Robert Quackenbush, staff attorney with the Prisoners’ Rights Project at The Legal Aid Society, said in a statement that qualified immunity had allowed a “culture of impunity” to “exist and fester” within the Police Department. He also called for state lawmakers to pass similar legislation.