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Here is the email sent to police union members:

Many of our officers are sued for monetary damages by individuals they have arrested or have come in contact with. These lawsuits allege wrongdoing on the part of the officer and oftentimes allege that the officer acted with malice. Malice means that the officer’s alleged actions were motivated by a personal hatred towards the individual suing him or her. If the person suing the officer wins on the question of whether the officer committed a wrong, the Plaintiff can recover monetary damages to compensate him or her for any injury and/or expenses incurred resulting from the officer’s actions. If a jury finds that the officer acted with malice, the jury has the option to award punitive damages which are designed to punish the officer and to serve as a deterrent to the officer not to repeat the alleged wrongful conduct found to have occurred by the jury.

Most times, the officer who is being sued will dispute the allegations made by a Plaintiff and successfully defend a claim for punitive damages. However, many juries award punitive damages despite the lack of evidence of malice even in cases where the police officer has not been charged criminally and been found to have acted within the scope of his/her duties consistent with the rules and regulations of the Baltimore Police Department. In the past, the City of Baltimore has generally supported the officers by paying punitive damages as well as the compensatory damages awarded for the actual injury. Since Andre Davis has been named as our new City Solicitor, he has adopted a policy of not paying any punitive damages despite the fact that the Police Officer has been found to have acted appropriately by the office of the State’s Attorney as well as the Baltimore Police Department.

What this means is that police officers are now required to pay these punitive damage awards, which can amount to thousands of dollars, out of their own pockets. Since punitive damages cannot be discharged in bankruptcy, the successful citizen can file an attachment against your wages taking 25% of your net bi-weekly pay check [sic] until the amount of the punitive judgement [sic] is satisfied.

Please keep this in mind as you go about performing your duties.

Quote (Arsenic_Touch @ Feb 10 2018 05:51am)

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-officers-damages-payment-20180209-story.html

Don't get your hopes up. That article leaves out a lot out about what actually happened. There's no policy change.

Right now Davis is saying he has no problem with cops that acted maliciously being on the hook, but not having them go after cops that didn't do anything wrong.
The case the article mentions the state is paying for it still and that no policy has been changed despite the claims in the email from the fraternal order of police.

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Davis, in turn, noted that the union and the city were involved in litigation and difficult contract talks and said the officers’ union representatives were trying to cause trouble.

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“Unfortunately, as I’m sure you know, right now the city and the police department have an adversarial relationship with the FOP,” Davis said. The city is involved in litigation with the union over pensions and overtime and is in the midst of contentious contract negotiations.

Quote (Santara @ Feb 10 2018 07:29am)

...for punitive damages awarded in lawsuits.

https://forwardobserver.com/2018/02/new-policy-change-in-baltimore-could-make-police-officers-financially-responsible-for-lawsuits/



Now maybe these guys will go get themselves an insurance policy for such contingencies? Like other professionals already have to do. (Malpractice insurance)

Quote (EndlessSky @ Feb 10 2018 09:43am)

RIP niggerville