MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis Police department is facing 61
lawsuits alleging officers used excessive force that led to injuries, a figure
that's more than triple the 19 misconduct lawsuits pending against St. Paul
police.
Minneapolis City Attorney Susan Segal said the number of
misconduct suits in Minneapolis wasn't extraordinary. She said the city is the
largest city in the state, so the actions of its police force naturally draw
extra scrutiny.
Critics say the numbers are excessive. Some say a subset
of officers acts with impunity, while others believe race plays a factor.
In addition to the pending lawsuits, 110 misconduct suits
have been resolved since January 2011. Of those, 51 were resolved in favor of
the city or dismissed by the court, said Peter Ginder, Minneapolis deputy city
attorney. The city made payouts in the other 59 cases.
The litigation is costly for Minneapolis taxpayers. Between
2006 and 2012, the city paid out about $14 million in police misconduct cases,
according to an earlier Star Tribune report. And in May, it agreed to pay out
$3 million for the 2010 death of a homeless man who was forcefully restrained
by police.
Robert Bennett, whose law firm represents Gill, said some
police officers are competent and professional. But others "act with
impunity" under the impression they can get away with abusive behavior, he
said.
Others think race is a factor. Teresa Nelson, the legal
director of the Minnesota affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, said
many minorities think there's an ingrained police culture to violate rights and
dehumanize minorities.