New York Becomes First State to End Lawsuit Protections for Police Officers

March 29, 2021

Hopefully, other states will follow NY’s lead in leveling the playing field between police officers and citizen contact.

A series of police reform bills were passed by the New York City Council Thursday, including a measure that eliminates qualified immunity for officers, CBS New York reports. New York becomes the first state to remove long-standing protections against civil lawsuits for police misconduct.

Those opposed to ending qualified immunity argued that it would impact an officer’s ability to make quick decisions amid fears of legal repercussion. However, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson countered by asserting that this policy “has been used to deny justice to victims of police abuse for decades.”