Some Tennessee police officers are vowing to step up their war against frivolous citizen complaints by encouraging policemen to file civil lawsuits against people whose complaints are determined to be unfounded, reports the Tennessean. The first such suit was resolved this month in favor of Nashville-area Officer Rob Morris. A judge ruled that a Nashville man had wrongfully complained against Morris but awarded the officer only $1 in damages.
The lawsuit by Morris won’t be the last, his lawyer said. At least four other Nashville Metro police officers are gearing up to sue people who have lodged complaints against them. The lawsuits are the latest strategy in an effort by some officers to dissuade people from filing what the lawmen consider to be frivolous personnel complaints. In March, the president of the local police union called for authorities to prosecute people whose complaints are determined to be unfounded.
Link: http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050821/NEWS03/508210396