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Lawsuits against the police: Reasons for the proliferation of litigation in the past decade

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Abstract

More civil lawsuits have been filed against the police community in the past decade than at any other time in our history. This article traces the legal developments which have precipitated and even encouraged the increased amount of litigation in this area. Included is an examination of the deterioration of the sovereign immunity defense and the reasons for the vicarious liability of local uuits of government for the actions of individual police employees.

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References

  • Americans for Effective Law Enforcement. (1980). “Lawsuits Against Police Skyrocket.”Impact 7: p. 2.

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  • Monell v. Department of Social Services, 436 U.S. 658 (1978).

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  • United States Code, Title 42. Section 1983.

  • United States Code, Title 42, Section 1988.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas

    Alan Ray Stafford

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  1. Alan Ray Stafford
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Stafford, A.R. Lawsuits against the police: Reasons for the proliferation of litigation in the past decade. JPCP 2, 30–34 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02907520

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02907520

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