Chicago Police Misconduct Lawyer
Police misconduct is a longstanding problem in Chicago, Illinois. If you’ve been assaulted, threatened, or had your rights violated by a Chicago police officer, you may be entitled to compensation. Our Chicago police misconduct lawyers can file a lawsuit and fight to secure a substantial monetary award from the Chicago Police Department to make things right.
Have you been the victim of police misconduct in Chicago, Illinois? Just because police officers work for the government doesn’t mean they’re above the law. Contact Levin & Perconti and discover how our award-winning Chicago police misconduct lawyers can help you hold them accountable for the harm and suffering they’ve caused.
For more than three decades, Levin & Perconti has helped injury victims and families in Chicago fight back against injustice. We are nationally recognized Illinois trial attorneys who have more than a billion dollars in monetary awards on behalf of our clients.
When you choose Levin & Perconti, you are not simply hiring a team of trial lawyers; you are aligning yourself with a force for change. We are relentless in our pursuit of justice, combining our legal acumen, vast financial resources, rapid response capabilities, PR expertise, and nationwide connections to deliver exceptional results for our clients and make a lasting impact on the world around us.
We’re ready to help you tell your story and make things right. Call our Chicago law office for a free consultation.
What is police misconduct?
Police misconduct refers to situations where a civilian’s rights are violated by an officer or agent of the state.
Common types of police misconduct include:
False Arrest
False arrest involves arresting or restraining you without lawful justification. You might be the victim of false arrest if an officer makes an arrest without reasonable suspicion that you’ve committed a crime.
Falsifying Evidence
Falsifying evidence refers to situations where an officer fabricates, forges, or otherwise creates evidence to support allegations that you’ve broken the law.
Illegal Search and Seizure
You have a reasonable expectation of privacy under the Fourth Amendment. While this doesn’t guarantee that you and your property will never be subject to search or seizure, it does require that an officer demonstrate probable cause, obtain a search warrant, or get your consent before infringing this expectation. When an officer conducts a search without probable cause or consent, it can be considered an unlawful violation of your rights.
Intimidation
Intimidation refers to tactics used to make you fearful or comply against your will or better judgment. This might involve the use of verbal threats, limiting your freedom or movement, or encroaching on your personal space to get you to consent to a search or admit to a crime.
Police Brutality
Police brutality refers to acts of unnecessary, unwarranted, and excessive physical force in violation of a civilian’s rights. Common examples include assault, sexual assault, rape, and inappropriate use of weapons, including tasers, pepper spray, and batons.
Perjury
Perjury refers to lying under oath. A police officer commits perjury when they provide false testimony about facts or circumstances to gain an advantage in a criminal case.
Racial Profiling
Racial profiling occurs when an officer targets or discriminates against a person or group of people because of their race, nationality, religion, or another personal characteristic.
Witness Tampering
Witness tampering refers to situations when a police officer attempts to influence a witness as part of a criminal proceeding. This might involve bribing the witness to give false testimony or intimidating a witness to prevent them from testifying.
How common is police misconduct in Chicago?
Police misconduct is incredibly common in Chicago, with more than 250,000 complaints reported between 1988 and 2018. While a quarter of a million complaints were made, just 17,130 resulted in some sort of disciplinary action. The government claims that most of these reports of police misconduct were unsubstantiated and not supported by any legitimate proof.
This demonstrates a massive problem with matters of police misconduct: It’s often a matter of your word against an officer’s. When the government is asked to take a look at the alleged wrongdoing of its officers, it will likely side with the one wearing the badge if there’s no hard proof that they’ve violated a civilian’s rights.
Many argue that Illinois has failed to adequately investigate and hold police officers accountable for repeated acts of misconduct. In fact, records indicate that officers accused of domestic abuse, racism, perjury, theft, and other “offenses unbecoming of a police officer” have kept their badges and dodged significant consequences. Often, officers are able to avoid internal punishment by going through union arbitration.
Fortunately, if you’ve been the victim of police misconduct, you can take matters into your own hands with a civil lawsuit and fight to make things right on your own.
How can Levin & Perconti help if I’ve been the victim of police misconduct in Chicago?
We trust the police to keep us safe and protect our rights. Unfortunately, there are times when some officers use the badge to bend the law for their own advantage. When this happens, the consequences can be catastrophic for civilians.
Whether you’ve been coerced or intimidated into providing a false statement, physically assaulted by an officer, or had your constitutional rights stripped away, you don’t have to let the injustice stand.
Our Chicago police misconduct attorneys are ready to take on the Chicago Police Department and the officers who have fundamentally changed the course of your life. We have the experience, depth of resources, and litigation skills you’ll need to win your police misconduct case and get the compensation you deserve.
When you turn to Levin & Perconti for help, we will:
- Coordinate a thorough investigation into the reported act(s) of police misconduct
- Gather evidence to support the claims that the police officer abused their position and violated your rights
- Review the officer’s personnel file to determine if they have a demonstrated pattern of misconduct
- Subpoena and depose witnesses, including other police officers and government staff, who might have relevant information about your case
- Represent you in all communications with the Chicago Police Department and state representatives
- Consult with police misconduct experts and specialists throughout the claims process
- Aggressively negotiate to secure a meaningful settlement offer from the state on your behalf
- Prepare to bring your police misconduct lawsuit to trial and litigate your case before a jury of your peers
We offer a free consultation, so reach out to our law office in Chicago to get started today.
What should I do if I’m the victim of police misconduct in Chicago?
You can help your case by taking a few simple steps after your rights are violated by a Chicago police officer:
- Write down or record your memory of the event. Your recollection of the events can change as time goes by.
- Get the names and contact information of witnesses.
- Seek medical attention if you’ve sustained physical injuries. Get to the closest emergency room in Chicago for prompt care and to ensure there’s a record of the trauma you’ve suffered.
- Report the misconduct to the City of Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability online, by calling (312) 743-COPA or visiting the office at 1615 W. Chicago Avenue, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60622.
Finally, contact an experienced police misconduct lawyer in Chicago to learn about your legal rights and options.
Chicago Police Misconduct Lawyers You Can Count On
You deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. You deserve to be upheld and supported by the police officers serving the city of Chicago. If you’ve been mistreated, abused, or had your rights violated in any way, contact Levin & Perconti. Our Chicago police misconduct lawyers are ready to stand up and fight to help you make things right.
We can file a police misconduct lawsuit and help you seek damages for your physical injuries, financial costs, and the pain and suffering you’ve endured. Punitive damages may also be applicable if the officer’s conduct was particularly reprehensible.
Call our Chicago law firm to begin with a free consultation. Our compassionate team is always available to provide the help you need.
Testimonials
Not only were they so professional but also so caring and thoughtful. It was very difficult going over the facts in our mother's case but they were so compassionate and understanding and allowed us to be with them every step of the way. We were able to sit in on the depositions and we were really able to see how hard they worked on our behalf.
During that time, my family and I suffered the loss of my mother. Mr. Levin and Mr. Perconti were more than just our lawyers. Words can’t really express our gratitude.
They were most patient and responded timely to many questions throughout the entire process. All demonstrated professionalism and extensive knowledge of case and state laws. Their in-depth investigative work uncovered details which were unknown to us and yet sadly confirmed our suspicions. We would recommend the Levin and Perconti Law firm and especially this team.
During that time, my family and I suffered the loss of my mother. Mr. Levin and Mr. Peconti were more than just our lawyers. Words can’t really express our gratitude. My family and I will always be grateful for the compassion that they showed us. I want to thank you for what you did for my family, and for always being there for us.
Margaret’s representation, guidance, and professionalism gave us the sense that we could put our trust in Levin & Perconti and the final outcome proved that to be true.
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John J. Perconti
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SETTLEMENT
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