by Tonya Richardson
What can I do if I have been hurt by a police officer?
Know that you do have legal rights. Police brutality is against the law, and there are certain things that you can do to protect your rights and prove what took place.
If you have an encounter with the police and were injured during the encounter, please request medical attention immediately. Police officers have a duty to get injured people medical care. This includes people that they have hurt by using excessive force. The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution requires that adequate medical care be provided to people in police custody. The failure to provide reasonable medical care may be cruel and unusual punishment.
If you are in police custody after being hurt by the police and the police do not provide first aid or call for an ambulance, you should report the injury to the jail staff and, again, request medical treatment or to see a doctor. Continue to make repeated requests, and document them all, if you are not provided medical care quickly. If possible, make a note of the time that you made the request and the name of the officer(s) to whom you made the request. If you are not in custody then you should go to the emergency room or visit your private physician as soon as possible.
Prompt medical care will provide important evidence in your case and prove that the police used excessive and unreasonable force, and that you were injured because of that force. Your medical records can be obtained by an investigator and will be important evidence about the cause of and the extent of your injuries.
Document everything that happened during the encounter to include:
- The date, time, and location/address of the incident.
- The name and badge number of the officer(s) who hurt you.
- The name and badge number of any officers who witnessed the incident.
- The name and contact information of any people who witnessed the incident.
- Your injuries and how the injuries occurred.
The investigator assigned to your case will inquire if there is other additional evidence that may also be available such as, video recorded by the police, the city, witnesses, or nearby businesses.
More importantly, please report the excessive force to the Atlanta Citizen Review Board.