A second primary reason police officers may not be prosecuted successfully for violent misconduct is police union contracts in cities across the country.
As explained by Alexia Campbell of the Center for Public Integrity, “police union contracts typically include language to hide complaints against police officers from the public.
Police unions have successfully lobbied for state laws granting officers far more job security than the average U.S. worker.
While Graham v Connor provides substantial cover for police officers to use force against unarmed citizens, police unions almost guarantee that they will get away with it even when their actions are excessive.
Police unions always support officers accused of misconduct.
