While Tasers can be useful to de-escalate threats in the right circumstances, they are too often misused by the NYPD, resulting in unwarranted bodily harm. Taser probes can penetrate clothing, where electrical currents cause searing pain and can lead to a number of injuries, including:

The NYPD and all law enforcement officials must follow specific rules regarding when and how to use stun guns. Officers are asked to give a verbal warning before using a Taser, which can only be used in the following situations:

When the unlawful or unwarranted use of a Taser by a police officer causes injury, victims may be eligible to sue based on civil rights violations. If you have questions regarding your case, reach out to the law firm of Friedman, Levy, Goldfarb & Green for a free consultation with an experienced NYC civil rights lawyer. Our knowledgeable legal team will analyze the details of your case to establish whether Taser abuse occurred and calculate the full amount of compensation to which you have a rightful claim.

The New York City Taser abuse attorneys at Friedman, Levy, Goldfarb & Green have seen the catastrophic effects of excessive force used by law enforcement. While Tasers are considered non-lethal weapons, these powerful stun guns deliver a 50,000-volt shock that freezes muscles and causes excruciating pain. Their misuse by the NYPD has been a topic of growing concern and the subject of litigation citing police brutality.

When it comes to pursuing excessive force cases involving Tasers against the nation’s largest municipal police department, experience matters. Friedman, Levy, Goldfarb & Green has been protecting the rights of New Yorkers who were unjustly injured for over 50 years. Put your trust in a New York civil rights attorney with a proven track record and dedication to fighting for the rights of those impacted by police brutality. Call our Manhattan office to arrange a complimentary consultation.

Police departments like the NYPD have internal policies that dictate the type of force used to resolve escalating situations. This use of force continuum ranges from police presence to the use of deadly weapons, but officers can be held liable when these rules are ignored, and civil rights are violated.

When a manufacturer assembles a "police special" at the factory, they often don't actually install a lot of the equipment that officers will ultimately need in the car. That's because each police department has its own policies and needs, and even within a department, different cars may be outfitted with different gear. Therefore, the departments handle the installation themselves, either through a local shop or, if the department is large enough, using their own mechanics.

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One of the first things people notice about a police car is the paint scheme. In the United States, there is no unified criteria or standard for painting police cars, so each state, agency or municipality determines how its cars will be painted. The point of the paint job is to make the car look distinctive and easy to see, but this can range from the classic "black and white" look, common in the 1950s and '60s, to more elaborate paint schemes with stripes and lettering.

When immediate threats to safety are present, or a suspect becomes violent, police officers are allowed to employ reasonable force. But when does reasonable police force become excessive? The courts will often look to the following issues when determining if Taser misuse occurred:

Police use wideband radios that broadcast on special frequency ranges set aside for their use in the VHF and UHF bands. Officers can also route the radio microphone through speakers integrated into the siren, allowing them to use it as a public address system.

Instead of an arm rest, modern police cars have a swivel mount for a laptop computer. Officers use this computer to access a number of databases, to fill out paperwork and record witness statements while they're still at the scene. The computer can also be used to upload digital photos they've taken of crime scenes. Some departments utilize wireless technology, so officers can check license plate numbers or suspect IDs against a database of stolen cars or outstanding warrants. They can even get a suspect's criminal record and photograph on screen right in front of them, without having to relay information through a dispatcher.

The content of this website has been prepared by Friedman, Levy, Goldfarb, Green & Bagley, P.C., New York Injury Attorneys. This site is intended to be used for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The material posted on this website is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship, and readers should not act upon it without seeking professional counsel. This website contains attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Stun guns are never to be used by police officers as a means of coercion or punishment. If an officer oversteps their bounds, and serious taser injuries result, victims may sue the police officer or department for monetary relief. Most civil lawsuits are brought for violations of the Fourth Amendment protection against the use of excessive force by law enforcement.

Several high-profile Taser injury claims have made headlines in recent years. One California man, who suffered permanent brain damage after police shocked him with a stun gun, won a $5.2 million Taser lawsuit settlement. Many of these contentious cases are bolstered by video footage – taken by onlookers or even the police dashcam – that shows victims complying with demands yet still being tasered without reasonable cause.

According to Amnesty International, some 500 Americans have died over the past 20 years after being shocked with Tasers during an arrest or while incarcerated. Our attorneys fight for justice on behalf of individuals who suffered injury because of police brutality and misconduct with stun guns.

The light bar on the roof is another key element, and the roof is reinforced at the factory to hold the extra weight of the bar. Modern light bars are streamlined, and contain banks of multiple lights in red, blue and white, all of which spin and pulse in patterns which are tough to miss, even in daylight.

The siren noise made by a police car is generated by a fan that pushes pulses of air through specially shaped holes in a small drum. The resulting sound is incredibly loud. Modern siren systems can automatically control the air pulses to generate a variety of sounds, such as the hi-lo (commonly used in Europe), the yelp, the wail, and the loud squawking sound of the air horn. You can listen to some police sirens sound demonstrations at Galls.com.