3 ms·

The concept of qualified immunity being a road block in this context is a bit weird to me. In my country, the local government is responsible for maintaining an

by belorn 4y ago

The concept of qualified immunity being a road block in this context is a bit weird to me. In my country, the local government is responsible for maintaining and operating a functional police force. While citizen can't sue the individual cops or the local police organization, they can sue the government for the actions of the police force. This also happens fairly regularly, and generally citizens do get compensation when the police makes mistakes. When a mistake is large enough (and costly), there will generally be a new regulation to address that in the future, and in some cases a local politician will have lost enough trust by voters and be forced to leave. Is this impossible to do in the US?

dwater 4y ago
Yes, civil suits against government are common and cost cities and other local jurisdictions millions of dollars a year: https://www.findlaw.com/injury/torts-and-personal-injuries/wrongful-death-by-police.html https://www.findlaw.com/injury/torts-and-personal-injuries/w... It's generally not expensive enough to create enough economic pain to break through the 2 party (or 1 party in many locales) political system.
- mrguyorama 4y ago
  It cannot be expensive enough because it only ever costs taxpayers. Nobody responsible pays or loses anything.
  - belorn 4y ago
    That is how it will always be when someone sue the government or a government branch. Since goverments are funded by tax money, government mistakes, mismanagement and violation of the law will be paid through the same budget as everything else. When people sue a public company, the people who in the end must hold the people responsible will be the share holders. When government are sued, it is the voters that must hold the people responsible. If a local government is found guilty in a court of law and forced to pay millions in damages, the money need to be either from raised taxes or reduced services. Both of those should be strong points for the opposition to gain votes and kick out the people who are responsible. Where I live, when the government is found guilty and forced to pay out it usually also result in the current local leader responsible for the situation being forced out. Mismanagement is not a effective way to gain votes, so if the leader don't step down volunteerly the party may just want to replace them anyway for someone without such baggage during next election. Maybe US politics and the system around political donations makes such results less common?
Zurrrrr 4y ago
Maybe someone can sue them, and maybe win, but that isn't the issue. The issue is corrupt cops, or cops that did something bad, never being held accountable and often being rewarded instead.

by belorn 4y ago

dwater 4y ago

Yes, civil suits against government are common and cost cities and other local jurisdictions millions of dollars a year: https://www.findlaw.com/injury/torts-and-personal-injuries/wrongful-death-by-police.html https://www.findlaw.com/injury/torts-and-personal-injuries/w... It's generally not expensive enough to create enough economic pain to break through the 2 party (or 1 party in many locales) political system.

mrguyorama 4y ago
It cannot be expensive enough because it only ever costs taxpayers. Nobody responsible pays or loses anything.
- belorn 4y ago
  That is how it will always be when someone sue the government or a government branch. Since goverments are funded by tax money, government mistakes, mismanagement and violation of the law will be paid through the same budget as everything else. When people sue a public company, the people who in the end must hold the people responsible will be the share holders. When government are sued, it is the voters that must hold the people responsible. If a local government is found guilty in a court of law and forced to pay millions in damages, the money need to be either from raised taxes or reduced services. Both of those should be strong points for the opposition to gain votes and kick out the people who are responsible. Where I live, when the government is found guilty and forced to pay out it usually also result in the current local leader responsible for the situation being forced out. Mismanagement is not a effective way to gain votes, so if the leader don't step down volunteerly the party may just want to replace them anyway for someone without such baggage during next election. Maybe US politics and the system around political donations makes such results less common?

Zurrrrr 4y ago

Maybe someone can sue them, and maybe win, but that isn't the issue. The issue is corrupt cops, or cops that did something bad, never being held accountable and often being rewarded instead.