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Cost of Police Misconduct

United States

Misconduct Payouts by the 10 U.S. Cities with the Largest Police Departments

The United states has lost millions to police misconduct:

City	Years of Cost	Total Cost
Boston	2005-2015	$36 million
Chicago	2004-2014	$521 million
Cleveland	2004-2014	$8.2 million
Dallas	2011-2014	$6.5 million
Minneapolis	2011-2014	$9.3 million
New York City	2006-2011	$348 million
Los Angeles	2002-2011	$101 million
Oakland	1990-2014	$74 million

In 2015, The Wall Street Journal reported that during a five year period the 10 United States cities with the largest police departments had spent over $1.4 Billion on police misconduct settlements. In between the years of 2010 and 2014 the total annual cost of police misconduct settlements increased, declining only in 2012, and then followed by the highest total in 2014 of $248.7 Million.

Largest Police Misconduct Settlements

With the rise of body worn cameras by police departments, settlements have also increased in both the size of the settlement and frequency of settlements. In 2015, Eric Garner's family settled with New York City, and was awarded $5.9 Million in a wrongful death suit at the hands of a New York Police Department (NYPD) Officer. While Garner's case is more recent, and perhaps more known to the general public it is not New York City's most expensive individual settlement due to police misconduct. In 2001, Abner Louima was abused by members of NYPD while in custody and settled with the city of New York for $8.75 Million.

Perhaps the most costly individual settlement ever due to police misconduct occurred in Chicago when Christina Eilman suffered from a bipolar episode at Midway Airport and was arrested. Eilman then released in high crime neighborhood at night in Chicago without any assistance or follow up on her wellbeing. Eilman fell from a 7th story window after being raped and suffered permeant brain damage. Eilman was recived $22.5 Million in a settlement with the city of Chicago.

The most expensive group police misconduct settlement case in New York, and possibly the most expensive group police misconduct settlement case ever was awarded to the Central Park Five. These five men were victims to police torture that eventually resulted in false confessions and convictions. These men settled for $41 Million.

Other Notable Police Misconduct Settlements

Jon Burge, a former Chicago Police Department Commander is estimated to have cost Chicago, the state of Illinois, and the county of Cook $132 Million in over 20 different cases. Burge was known to torture, beat, electrically shock, suffocate, and play games of Russian Roulette in order to force confessions. As part of a reparations package to victim of Burge and his team, Chicago opened the Chicago Torture Justice Center in Englewood with hopes of providing services such as counseling to those who have been victim of police misconduct.

In 2000, Prince Jones, a student at Howard University, was followed by an unmarked police car, fearing for his safety he exited the car to confront the man following him who proceeded to flash a gun. Jones entered his car, and put his truck into reverse hitting the officer twice. The officer opened fired 16 shots into Jones' car, killing him. This incident received national news coverage and was featured in Ta-Nehisi Coates' book Between The World and Me. Jones' family received a settlement from Prince Georges county of $3.7 Million.

Settling for Misconduct

The Chicago Reporter created a database entitled Settling for Misconduct to track civil suits against the Chicago Police Department (CPD) with the intent of bringing awareness to the fact that a lawsuit against CPD is settled, on average, every other day. The website lists cases such as the murder of Laquan McDonald by Jason Van Dyke which gained national attention and resulted in a $5 Million settlement for McDonald's family. The database also shows less known cases such as an older settlement for $100,000 in which Jason Van Dyke was named for excessive force. The database even includes a false arrest settlement for $1.00 against CPD officer Luis Luarenzana.

Canada

Canada has also lost millions of dollars to police misconduct settlements. Toronto, in particular, has paid $27 million in settlements for actions of police dogs, use of force, false arrests, and car chases. The biggest settlement was for $2 Million when a taxi driver by the name of Ali Adaba Ghomi was hit by a car fleeing from police, and was taken to the hospital in critical condition. In October of 2007, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) tased Robert Dziekanski, the impact from tasers ultimately killed him. The settlement in Dziekanski's case was confidential, although it was revealed that the RCMP in addition to the cost of the settlement also donated $20,000 for a scholarship.

South Africa

In 2011, Nathi Mthethwa, the South African Police Minister disclosed that across the country more than R106m ($7,153,276) was paid in police misconduct settlements due to actions of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the 2010-2011 fiscal year. According to financial statements of SAPS, the financial balance of civil claims against the South African Police at the conclusion of the 2012 fiscal year totaled R14.8 Billion ($998,651,608). In one of the more notable cases, Mido Macia was dragged by a police van, and assaulted by police in 2013 in Daveyton, South Africa, the event was caught on camera, and Macia later died while in the custody of police. On November 21st, 2018, his family received R6.5m ($439,110.75) in a lawsuit settlement.

Russia

The cost of police misconduct in Russia comes in the form of bribery. In 2015, Russia Police reported the average amount per bribe had reached 654,000 rubles (USD $9,105.18). Russia has attempted to crack down on the situation, in 2015, between January and September, Russian President Vladimir Putin reported that 8,800 people were convicted of corruption. On a 5,000 kilometer route, truck divers can expect to pay anywhere from 50,000 ($786) to 70,000 rubles ($1,101.45) on bribes to police officers.