When you fall victim to police brutality, misconduct, or a civil rights violation in Indianapolis, seeking justice can feel like an uphill battle. The harm caused by law enforcement officers, whether from the local police or federal agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is significant. The Indianapolis civil rights and police brutality lawyers at our personal injury law firm are committed to helping clients who are victims of police misconduct fight for the justice and compensation they deserve.
In this Article
What Is Indianapolis Police or ICE Misconduct?
Misconduct by law enforcement occurs when officers from law enforcement agencies mandated to protect citizens, like the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) or ICE, violate your constitutional rights. These protection violations are not just mistakes; they are abuses of power. This can include excessive force, false or wrongful arrest, unlawful searches, malicious prosecution, retaliation for exercising your rights, or discriminatory enforcement based on your race or background. An experienced Indianapolis civil rights attorney can help determine if your rights were violated.
How Common Is Police Misconduct in Indianapolis?
Police Scorecard reports 44 killings by police in Indianapolis from 2013–2023—higher than 37% of U.S. departments—and 313 civilian misconduct complaints from 2016–2022, with 2% ruled in favor of civilians.
How Can Victims Get Help?
You have rights and can pursue accountability through official channels.
Indianapolis Police Department Actions
If you experience misconduct by an IMPD officer, you can file a complaint with Internal Affairs or the civilian review board:
IMPD Internal Affairs/Professional Standards Unit:
200 E. Washington St.
Suite 1860
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317-327-3440 File a complaint online
To support an IMPD misconduct complaint, act quickly. Document what happened, photograph injuries and the scene, gather witness contacts, and keep copies of all records (medical reports, citations, and others).
Federal Agent Misconduct Actions
For misconduct involving the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG)—for ICE or other DHS agents:
File online on the website: DHS OIG complaint portal
Mail: DHS OIG Hotline, 245 Murray Lane SW, Mail Stop 0305, Washington, DC 20528
Tip: Preserve evidence before filing—write down what happened, save photos/video, and keep witness contacts.
Common Types of Misconduct Cases
Indianapolis residents trust a civil rights lawyer to handle civil rights lawsuits for a wide range of cases, including:
Excessive force: using more force than is justified
False arrest: detaining someone without legal justification or probable cause
Illegal search or seizure: searching a person or property without a warrant or valid reason
Malicious prosecution: filing charges without cause that are later dismissed
Police shootings: the wrongful discharge of a firearm causing injury or death
Failure to intervene: an officer not stopping another’s misconduct
Recording retaliation: being punished for lawfully filming police activity
Racial profiling: stops or searches based on discrimination by race or ethnicity
Denial of medical care: withholding necessary medical attention while in custody
ICE misconduct: unlawful raids, excessive force, assault, or unlawful detainers
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?
For most federal civil rights lawsuits (under 42 U.S.C. § 1983), Indiana state law § 34-11-2-4 applies a 2-year statute of limitations to civil lawsuits; it is crucial to meet these deadlines.
How to Get Help If You Are Injured by an Indianapolis Police Officer
If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries due to police brutality or misconduct, an Indianapolis police misconduct attorney will fight tirelessly on your behalf to provide legal representation for your civil rights case when you need to sue the government. A personal injury lawyer from our law firm will investigate the matter, evaluate the evidence of your incident, discuss the legal deadlines that relate to your circumstances, calculate the financial compensation you may be entitled to, and represent you in court if a fair settlement cannot be reached.
With decades of experience, our legal team offers a free consultation to discuss your claim; we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay unless we win your case.
Our Indianapolis civil rights and police brutality lawyers are committed to helping clients who are victims of police misconduct.
$7.5 Million
Recovery for a construction worker injured when a support wall fell and struck him. (Highest award on record for a construction injury in DuPage County at the time).
$3.2 Million
Recovery for a construction worker injured when he fell in an uncovered foundation trench, ranking as the highest award on record for a construction injury in McHenry County at the time.
$3 Million
Recovery for the family of a man struck by a garbage truck that was making an illegal turn.
$2.2 Million
Recovery for a salesman injured in an automobile collision.
$2 Million
Recovery for a man struck by a speeding vehicle as he waited for the CTA bus.
$1.5 Million
Recovery for a truck driver that was struck by another car on the expressway while his vehicle was disabled.
$1.4 Million
Recovery for a computer programmer that slipped and fell in the washroom at work.
Recovery for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in a parking lot. At the time, this was the second-highest recovery on record in DuPage County for a similar injury.
$800,000
Recovered for a disputed wrongful death claim against a trucking company. The company denied they were involved in the collision.
$660,000
Recovery for a truck driver that was injured while unloading his trailer.
$550,000
Recovery for a person who slipped and fell in a grocery store.
$550,000
Recovery for a woman who injured her neck in a motor vehicle collision.
$500,000
Recovery for a pedestrian that was struck by a vehicle while standing on the sidewalk.
$500,000
$500,000 Policy limit settlement for a 48-year-old woman injured in a Cook County head-on collision after another driver made an unsafe left turn into traffic.
$460,000
Recovery for a truck driver that tripped and fell in the parking lot while making a delivery.
$450,000
Recovery for a dental assistant who slipped and fell at work on an unnatural accumulation of ice.
$425,000
Recovery for a union worker struck by a speeding vehicle.
$425,000
Recovery for a passenger in a vehicle struck by an inexperienced driver.
$415,000
Recovered for a woman that required neck surgery after aggravating an existing neck injury in a truck accident.
$400,000
Recovery for a lab technician injured while transporting equipment.
$370,000
Recovery for a construction worker injured on faulty equipment at a construction site.
$315,000
Recovery for a motorist struck by a falling utility pole.
$310,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$300,000
Recovery for a bicyclist struck by a vehicle.
$250,000
Recovery for a young woman struck by another vehicle.
$250,000
Recovered for a woman who sustained a partial finger amputation and other injuries in a rollover car accident. (Policy Limits)
$250,000
Recovered for a man injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$250,000
Recovered for a 60-year-old woman involved in a car accident. (Policy Limits)
$250,000
Recovered for a man hit by a semi-truck while operating a go-cart.
$250,000
Recovered for an individual who suffered a severe knee injury after a slip and fall on a wet floor at a Will County retail store.
$240,000
Recovery for the injured party struck by another vehicle.
$235,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$235,000
Recovery for an inventory clerk injured when shelving toppled onto her.
$219,000
Recovery for a restaurant patron that slipped and fell in the bathroom.
$200,000
Recovered for an airline employee struck on the runway at O’Hare International Airport.
$190,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$175,000
Recovered for a child injured by fireworks at a fourth of July celebration.
$170,000
Recovered for a person injured when she slipped and fell exiting a major retail store.
$150,000
Recovered for a woman who fractured her leg when she was struck by a vehicle.
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