Police misconduct settlements have cost taxpayers billions of dollars over the past decade. For example, between 2010 and 2020, more than $3.2 billion was paid out to settle allegations of misconduct by officers from 25 of the largest police and sheriff’s departments in the U.S.12. These settlements often involve claims of excessive force, wrongful arrest, and other violations of constitutional rights2.
In many cases, local governments use liability insurance to cover these costs, especially in smaller jurisdictions. Larger departments, however, are typically self-insured, meaning the settlements are paid from the department’s budget or the local government’s central litigation fund2.
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