Misconduct suits against the NYPD rose in 2018

Misconduct suits against the NYPD rose last year, following two years of declines, according to new city data.

Some 1,586 aggrieved arrestees filed claims against the NYPD in 2018 — compared with 1,391 in 2017.

The number of suits had trended downward since at least 2014, when there were 3,084 such cases.

Meanwhile, payouts have skyrocketed, as the glut of cases from several years ago wend their way through court.

The city forked over just $14 million in NYPD-related settlements in 2014 — compared with $57 million in 2018.

A Brooklyn couple, Francisco Chavez and Gloria Barriero-Chavez ,got the biggest payday of 2018.

They were injured when a driver fleeing cops slammed into them in 2014. They were awarded $7 million on Dec. 11, 2018, after successfully arguing the cops were negligent in their pursuit.

The city paid out the most money in 2017, when it forked over $142 million. The massive spike came as the city settled multiple high-profile cases from 2014, 2015 and 2016.

NYPD officials say the department is improving — pointing to a 48.5 percent decline in the number of lawsuits filed between 2015 and 2018.

“That reduction in the volume of litigation gains the public’s trust and respect, thereby advancing the goals of neighborhood policing — to collaboratively solve problems with community members, drive down crime and enhance public safety,” said a spokeswoman, Sgt. Jessica McRorie.

But the Legal Aid Society, which analyzed all cases filed and resolved between 2014 and 2018, called the uptick in suits a cause for alarm.

“This reporting sheds some more light on the rampant problem of misconduct at the New York City Police Department,” said Legal Aid’s Tina Luongo.

“We hope that this reporting helps to further the conversation to revamp the NYPD’s current disciplinary process so that officers who commit these heinous crimes and who betray the public’s trust will receive more than just a slap on the wrist.”

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