NYC paid out $121M in police misconduct settlements in 2022, Legal Aid Society says
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- A new report from the Legal Aid Society found that New York City paid out $121 million in police misconduct settlements last year.
That's the highest amount in five years.
In 2021, the city spent $87 million in such settlements.
Police were named in multiple wrongful conviction lawsuits last year, including the exoneration of two men in the assassination of Malcolm X, and numerous misconduct claims following 2020 protests after the murder of George Floyd.
The NYPD released a statement saying, "The NYPD often engages in dialogue with the NYC Law Department as it relates to police action lawsuits. That collaboration has helped to reduce the number of lawsuits and claims being filed against this Department as well as reduce the payouts for both. While the decision to settle a lawsuit and for how much remains with the Law Department and the Comptroller, the NYPD actively seeks out information learned from these lawsuits in order to improve officer performance and enhance training or policy, where necessary."
The Legal Aid Society said that the total payouts for police misconduct are likely to be substantially higher because the data does not account for matters that were settled with the New York City Comptroller's office prior to formal litigation.
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