No to SB245 and AB287
Senate Committee on Government Affairs, and Assembly Committee on Judiciary
SB245 and AB287 give police officers qualified immunity for violating individuals’ rights under the Nevada Constitution. If these bills pass, qualified immunity will stand in the way of Nevadans’ attempts to hold police officers accountable for civil rights violations. The bills also impose harsh requirements for plaintiffs who seek to hold police officers accountable in court. The victim would have to state with particularity the basis for their lawsuit and how they overcome qualified immunity or face permanent dismissal of the lawsuit.
There are countless examples of police misconduct going unpunished, from police murders of individuals to “no-knock raids” with potential for explosive violence, to the wrongful seizure of suspects’ belongings, racial profiling, and everyday harassment.
These bills are part of a larger trend in which state protection makes holding police officers accountable much more difficult.
Sponsored by
To:
Senate Committee on Government Affairs, and Assembly Committee on Judiciary
From:
[Your Name]
We are writing to oppose any bill that provides a form of qualified immunity for law enforcement.
Qualified immunity will stand in the way of Nevadans’ attempts to hold police officers accountable for civil rights violations. There are countless examples of police misconduct going unpunished, from police murders of individuals to “no-knock raids” with potential for explosive violence, to the wrongful seizure of suspects’ belongings, racial profiling, and everyday harassment. These bills are part of a larger trend in which state protection makes holding police officers accountable much more difficult.
If you would argue that "police need qualified immunity in order to do their jobs" then we ask you to be honest about what you think their job is. Qualified immunity is not a tool that protects people, it is a tool that protects those who violate and oppress people. We should feel safe in our communities, and we should all have the ability to hold those accountable who violate our safety.
Legislation that provides any form of immunity for law enforcement is unacceptable. We call on you to oppose any form of immunity for law enforcement, for the safety of all of us.