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Stop police abuse with a well regulated insurance stick.
2020 article but…if we can get more dems in office maybe Congress can tighten these laws and set standards including mandating that police report to their residents the costs of theses abuses and how that may be impacting property taxes.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1233495
Snip:
By 2010, (Maywood) the 1-square-mile town just south of downtown Los Angeles had racked up $17.3 million in five years of claims against the police, according to court documents. The Los Angeles Times said the Maywood department was "a haven for misfit cops who had been pushed out of other law enforcement agencies for crimes or serious misconduct," while the attorney general said it was responsible for "gross misconduct and widespread abuse including unlawful use of force against civilians."
In response to Maywood's climbing liability costs, the city's insurer gave the department a 20-step "Performance Improvement Plan." Maywood didn't meet the insurer's requirements to improve officer training and incident reporting, according to court documents. The city lost coverage and disbanded its police department. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is now responsible for patrolling Maywood's streets.
In response to Maywood's climbing liability costs, the city's insurer gave the department a 20-step "Performance Improvement Plan." Maywood didn't meet the insurer's requirements to improve officer training and incident reporting, according to court documents. The city lost coverage and disbanded its police department. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is now responsible for patrolling Maywood's streets.
Not all insurers do this and sometimes they just let it go. The example given is an unarmed man in Lakewood Wa killed by a police sniper in 2013.
The city of Lakewood and four of its officers were found liable in a lawsuit for civil rights violations. Insurance paid $11.5 million of the $13 million settlement. The risk pool didn't drop Lakewood, nor did it pressure Lakewood to make internal personnel changes. After Thomas' death, the Lakewood department looked quite similar. Lakewood left the county SWAT team, but all four officers remained on the Lakewood force. One was promoted to chief.
Now the city faces another wrongful death claim involving one of the same officers. In May, Lakewood Officer Michael Wiley shot and killed Said Joquin, 26, during a routine traffic stop. The $28 million claim alleges that Joquin had his hands up. In 2013, Wiley led the SWAT team that breached Thomas' door with explosives. He also repeatedly shot Thomas' dog, which the court found unreasonable because the dog had already been shot by a different officer.
Now the city faces another wrongful death claim involving one of the same officers. In May, Lakewood Officer Michael Wiley shot and killed Said Joquin, 26, during a routine traffic stop. The $28 million claim alleges that Joquin had his hands up. In 2013, Wiley led the SWAT team that breached Thomas' door with explosives. He also repeatedly shot Thomas' dog, which the court found unreasonable because the dog had already been shot by a different officer.
There’s got to be a way!