Police brutality and murders of unarmed citizens have reached epidemic levels. Basically, every police department across the United States uses tax dollars to cover settlements from lawsuits because of police misconduct. Officers with excessive claims would no longer be employable in any jurisdiction.
In many states, the law allows police to legally use lethal force if they believe that they are in danger. They are not required to actually be in danger, just to believe that they are. By this standard, it is almost impossible to hold an officer legally responsible for killing a civilian because the officer's state of mind, which only he can know, is the ultimate defense.
Everyone, including police officers, should be held accountable for their actions. If an officer kills someone who was in fact not a danger to the officer, then the officer should be legally liable for that action.
We Demand that officers carry professional liability insurance as a condition of employment. Officers of repeat offenses would be unable to obtain coverage and barred from working within departments across the nation. This requirement would include current and future city, state, county, volunteer police officers and prison/jail guards.
The base rate for insurance would continue to be funded by department jurisdictions. Any additional premium rates and costs associated with an officer's claims history, would be paid for by officers. These costs would remain associated with an officer's claims history to rid departments of police aggression, brutality and murders of unarmed citizens.
We Demand that all county, state, municipal and special police agencies, jails and prisons receiving federally funded grants, loans or, equipment – include individual professional liability insurance as a Condition of Employment.
We Demand limited immunity and not total immunity. Limited immunity would ensure that officers who kill and harm or, expose the community to unnecessary risks, are prosecuted.
We Demand the removal of School Resource Officers in Public Schools with officers being replaced by diversity trained counselors and mental health professionals.
