As The New York Times reports, NYC City Council voted on a large police reform package that ends qualified immunity (QI) as a defense for police officers in local civil lawsuits.
“With the council’s vote, New York City becomes the largest jurisdiction to limit the ability of officers to invoke [qualified immunity], joining the states of Colorado and Connecticut,” the Times says.
In a news conference following the vote, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he supports the legislation.
Over the last year, qualified immunity has been at the forefront of the national debate on police reform. And there are indications that the courts are open to revisiting QI. The Times notes, “Recent rulings by the Supreme Court have stirred speculation that the nation’s highest court might roll back the doctrine, which emerged as a flash point during nationwide protests over [George] Floyd’s death.”
Read the entire New York Times article about the new NYC reform package that ends QI for police here.