New Mexico is one of many states which has a proven record of excessive police brutality. However, the case in New Mexico may be a lot worse than most other states. A few years back there was actually a riot in New Mexico because the residents were very concerned about how officers were carrying out their duties. The residents claimed that the officers had literally gone out of control and no one felt safe leaving their homes anymore.
The Department of Justice responded positively to the complaints of the general public and decided to look deeper into recent police records. They were astounded to find that officers had been violating the rights of the community for a very long time and not only that, but the police supervisors seemed to be encouraging the acts of violence instead of condoning them.
Investigation of the police department in New Mexico found the following results:
- The police officers used deadly force constantly in an unconstitutional manner
- Police officers used excessive force against individuals who were not harmed and not threatening anybody
- Police officers instigated violence from members of the community and then used excessive or deadly violence against them
- Officers were not being penalized or even corrected by their supervisors
The statistics found were very disturbing as they violated the rights of society and what was more disturbing was the fact that this had been going on for a very long time. The Department of Justice decided to act after a few very serious cases of brutality which resulted in the entire community revolting against the police. These serious cases included one of a 38-year-old homeless man being killed for no reason, and an unarmed 19-year-old boy being shot in the back as he lay face-down compliant for arrest.
What is being done to get the police force under control?
The Department of Justice mandated that a variety of steps be taken in order to ensure that the police are no longer taking advantage of members of society in this manner. They introduced:
- Training procedures to make officers less impulsive
- Improved use-of-force policies
- Internal investigations for each case in which deadly or excessive force was used
- Improved recruitment protocol
- Improved policies for dealing with individuals who have mental illnesses
What should I do if I am a victim of police brutality in New Mexico?
Luckily times have changed and New Mexico has begun to take cases of police brutality very seriously. With all the new regulations and policies put in place to control police behavior it only makes sense that a person should report an officer if he or she acts out of place. Contacting a police brutality attorney in New Mexico is always a good idea because an attorney can help a person file a complaint in the best possible way and with all the required legalities in check. Reporting a police officer to an educated lawyer can really change one’s case to make them more likely to earn compensation and have the officer penalized.
Whether a person is completely innocent and was hurt by an officer for no reason, or whether a person had committed a crime but was still attacked with excessive or deadly force a lawyer can help them figure out what their next steps should be, which of their rights were actually violated, and what paperwork needs to be done in order for a quick trial to begin.
