New York City Becomes First City to End Qualified Immunity for the NYPD…

by Adam Schrader at The Daily Mail

New York City is set to become first major city in the nation to end qualified immunity for police officers after the city council voted on sweeping reforms after it slashed the NYPD’s budget by $1 billion last year.

The New York City Council voted on Thursday to end qualified immunity for police officers which will open the door for them to face civil lawsuits once the bill is signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio, according to a press release.

‘Together, the State and federal versions of qualified immunity have effectively prevented countless victims of police brutality and their families from obtaining financial damages and holding officers and the cities that employ them accountable,’ the release reads.

Last summer, the city announced a range of reforms and moved to divert $1 billion from the NYPD budget after protests across the nation in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

The legislation ending qualified immunity creates a new local civil right protecting New Yorkers against ‘unreasonable search and seizures’ and ‘excessive force’ while also banning it as a defense.

Colorado also recently eliminated eliminated the doctrine – but New York City will become the first major city to do so after the death of George Floyd caused increased scrutiny of of police.

New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson hailed the legislation and said qualified immunity was ‘rooted in our nation’s history of systemic racism.’

‘Qualified immunity was established in 1967 in Mississippi to prevent Freedom Riders from holding public officials liable even when they broke the law,’ Johnson tweeted.

‘Rooted in our nation’s history of systemic racism, qualified immunity denied Freedom Riders justice and has been used to deny justice to victims of police abuse for decades.’

He added: ‘It should never have been allowed, but I’m proud that we took action today to end it here in NYC.’…