Managing Risks in Law Enforcement: Escalating Claims, Liability Awards, and Mental Health

Escalating claims alleging excessive force by police officers, rising liability awards and increased mental health concerns for officers are among the top risk management challenges for public entity risk managers, experts say.

The public is growing more willing to complain about issues such as police misconduct, said Holly Lerose, Hartford, Connecticut-based assistant vice president, public sector, claim business practice lead, for Travelers Cos. Inc.

About 65% of law enforcement-related claims arising from auto liability, employment practices liability and law enforcement liability involve allegations of excessive force or charge civil rights violations, she said during a session of the Public Risk Management Association’s annual conference last week in Long Beach, California.