Some state Democrats propose end to qualified immunity

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Some state Democrats are proposing to remove qualified immunity to make up for costs in the proposed budget.

Qualified immunity shields police officers from being sued by a citizen except in cases where an officer clearly violated their rights.

State Senator LaTonya Johnson says these cases can lead to expensive settlements that often come from the pockets of Wisconsinites. 

"Not only are the taxpayers paying for these settlements, but they're paying for these settlements with interest, and that's a huge concern, especially when we look at how much money is being spent in our communities."

Democratic lawmakers say along with taxpayers, individual municipalities are also responsible for paying settlements and lawsuits, such as the recent multi-million settlements paid by the city of Minneapolis and Louisville for deaths at the hands of police.