I’ve always wondered and never knew how much police-related lawsuits cost the city. Last year it was $35 million for settlements related to NYPD action. That up 40% over the previous year.
The headline in the Daily News calls the $35 million figure “staggering.” It doesn’t strike me as that high. $8 a resident or $1,000 per officer? I got $8.
I was actually kind of hoping the number would be much higher. Then I could use the figure to justify higher police pay as saving money if it could reduce lawsuits.
Besides, for all agencies the city paid out $568 million in settlements and judgments last year. Now that’s too high.