Oxnard Police Brutality & Shooting Lawyer

There is a difference between police officers doing their job and those using unnecessary or excessive force against civilians. Police brutality typically involves physical violence that is excessive or extreme in nature, but it can also include instances of police misconduct, which may or may not have a physical component.

In 2017, the state of California released its first-ever report on the use of force by police officers. According to the report:

• There were more than 780 occasions of severe injury or death resulting from the use of force or firing of a weapon by a police officer in 2016
• 157 of those occasions resulted in civilian deaths
• Of these use-of-force and shooting incidents, 42% involved Latino civilians and 20% involved black citizens, while more than 50% of the police officers involved were white

While not every instance of use-of-force or shooting constitutes police brutality, excessive use of force does occur. Additionally, police officers may wrongfully arrest or detain someone, maliciously prosecute an individual, or otherwise violate a person’s constitutional rights. When this is the case, victims and their family members can work to hold the liable parties financially responsible.