The Colorado Springs City Council approved a $2.1 million settlement in a lawsuit alleging excessive force by three police officers during a traffic stop in October 2022. The vote was 7 to 1, with Councilmember Dave Donelson opposing. The lawsuit involves officers Matthew Anderson, Colby Hickman, and Christopher Hummel, and their actions against Dalvin Ochoa Gadson, a black man stopped for driving without visible license plates.
Gadson's attorneys emphasized the settlement as a warning to officers who abuse their power, stating that the fight for justice will continue. According to the law office representing Gadson, he refused to exit his car, leading officers to forcibly remove and assault him.
The city will cover the settlement with $1 million from its claims reserve fund, and the remainder will be paid by its insurance. A spokesperson noted this is not the largest settlement the city has paid involving police. Gadson's civil rights attorney had this to say:
"This settlement should stand as a warning to all those who think their badges entitle them to brutalize the men and women they've sworn to protect and serve. You are not above the law and if your own department refuses to hold you accountable, we will. Let's be clear. This is an important day for Dalvin Gadson and for all the people of Colorado Springs. But that doesn't mean the fight is done. We will continue working with the Department of Justice in their investigation and we will not stop until justice is done..."
An investigation by 11 News in 2023 revealed that insurance premiums for covering such lawsuits have doubled.
Link: KKTV
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