There is no doubt that many Illinois police officer’s go to work every day and do their best to protect the people of Illinois. However, there is also no doubt that a small minority of officers fail to act in the best interests of the people of Illinois. Chicago civil rights attorneys handle cases where the willful and wanton failure of police officers to make an arrest or failure to provide protection results in tragedy.
While generally the police cannot be held responsible for the failure to prevent a crime, they may be held liable if they acted deliberately in not preventing the crime. If, for example, the police have specific knowledge that an individual is dangerous or if an arrest warrant has been issued and the police do not follow up and try to protect the public from that individual then they may be liable for their inaction.
Police officers may also be responsible for their actions if they selectively enforce the law based on race or if they deny police protection based on race. The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution provides people with the equal protection of the law. Plaintiffs who seek to recover damages must prove that the police officer intentionally denied protection to the individual or that the police officer was reckless or callously indifferent to the individual’s rights. Typically, the conduct must shock the conscience or offend the community’s sense of fair play and decency.
While this is a difficult standard to meet, it is also an incredibly important cause of action. Chicago civil rights attorneys fight for the fundamental right of individuals to be equally protected by our law enforcement officials. We believe that police officers have the same duty to protect every inhabitant of this state and that no exceptions exist for race, religion, sex or other differences. Our attorneys are committed to fighting for equality in the fundamentally important area of police protection.
If you have been hurt, or a loved one has been killed, because of a police officer’s failure to protect you then you should contact the Illinois civil rights attorneys at Dolan Law Offices who can help you with your civil rights, personal injury and wrongful death claims.
The Illinois civil rights lawyers at Dolan Law Offices represent victims of civil rights violations throughout Illinois and the greater Chicagoland area, including Aurora, Addison, Chicago Heights, Joliet, Hillsdale, Plainfield, Rolling Meadows, Des Plaines, Schaumburg, Palatine, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Hanover Park, Streamwood, Prospect Heights, Wheeling, Wheaton, Waukegan, Inverness, Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Elgin, Bartlett, Itasca, Bloomingdale, Wooddale, Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, McHenry County, and Will County.
If your civil rights have been violated, contact the Chicago civil rights lawyers at Dolan Law Offices online or at 312-676-7600.
