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Law enforcement officers with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC, don’t always protect citizens as they should. If you have suffered as a result of police misconduct, the Washington, DC police misconduct lawyers at Regan Zambri Long are here to support you. Our experienced firm offers over 200 years of combined experience in securing justice and have won over $1 billion’s worth of settlements for our clients to date.
Our award-winning lawyers have over 100 5 star Google reviews and offer exceptional professionalism and an unwavering commitment to securing verdicts that properly compensate you for suffering at the hands of police officers. Partners Patrick Regan and Salvatore Zambri have been named to the American Association for Justice for their outstanding civil case work, and partner Jacqueline Colclough’s nurse attorney experience brings a thorough knowledge of injuries, traumas, medical records, and suffering to fully assess your case and fight in your favor.
Confronting police misconduct can feel overwhelming, but our expert legal specialists are here to offer support and ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Contact Regan Zambri Long 24/7, and a Washington, DC police misconduct lawyer will call you back. We don’t charge any fees unless we win your case.
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When you have suffered police misconduct, knowing how to begin the process of litigation is your first step to protecting your rights. DC citizens can file complaints with the Office of Police Complaints (OPC) when they believe police misconduct has occurred. OPC investigates the following forms of misconduct:
Although the above are the forms of misconduct OPC cites, this list might not cover all forms of police brutality or misconduct that law enforcement officers can engage in. Speak with a lawyer for more information about your case. Unfortunately, this isn’t an uncommon problem in DC, with OPC receiving 796 complaints in 2022 alone. Just two years later, the OPC received 1,553 allegations and 942 complaints – a 7% increase over the number of complaints filed in 2023. According to the Office, 2024’s complaint volume was the highest in the OPC’s history.
Filing a complaint is just one step in protecting your constitutional rights. Don’t let police misconduct go unchallenged. Contact the DC civil rights lawyers at Regan Zambri Long for a free case evaluation.
Police brutality cases and misconduct cases can take many forms. The following are among the more common types of Washington, DC, police misconduct cases we handle:
For 30 years, our lawyers have helped DC residents like you fight for fair compensation in numerous types of cases. If you’ve experienced any of these forms of misconduct, our experienced attorneys are here to help. Call now. We will only charge you fees if we win your case.
Seeking justice after police use unjustifiable tactics or engage in other forms of misconduct can involve:
You may file a lawsuit against police misconduct in DC in federal court, a DC Superior Court, or another state court, depending on the circumstances. We can discuss these options with you in greater detail when evaluating your case.
Take the first step toward justice. Schedule a confidential consultation with our police misconduct team.
The statute of limitations sets a deadline for initiating police misconduct cases in Washington, DC. The deadline depends on how victims file lawsuits.
For example, if you’re filing a general claim for assault, battery, or similar actions a police officer may have engaged in, you have one year from the date of the incident to take action. Although federal law is slightly unclear on this matter, as the deadline can depend on the form of misconduct that has allegedly occurred, you may typically have two years from the date of a misconduct incident to file a lawsuit in federal court.
A 90-day time limit from the date of the incident also applies when filing an OPC complaint. OPC may not investigate a complaint if you miss the deadline. When taking action, it’s important to show documentation and evidence to strengthen your case, such as medical bills, photographic records of your injuries, witness statements, and official complaints and records.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Contact us immediately to protect your legal rights.
Losses for which compensation may be available in a lawsuit against police misconduct in DC include:
Learn what your case might be worth. Our expert attorneys have decades of experience in valuing police misconduct cases fairly and comprehensively. Contact Regan Zambri Long for a comprehensive case review.
We at Regan Zambri Long are committed to fighting for fair compensation when victims of police brutality and misconduct enlist our help. Reasons to choose our firm include:
Our firm has been widely recognized for our exceptional work in litigating civil cases, including cases of police misconduct. Partners Patrick Regan, Salvatore Zambri, and Victor Long are all board-certified in Civil Trial Law and Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, and Patrick Regan has also been named a fellow at the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers and International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and a Master of the Bench at Thurgood Marshall American Inn of Court.
No less than seven of our skilled attorneys have also been recognized by Best Lawyers, and Regan Zambri Long has received Best Law Firms awards annually, highlighting our firm’s ongoing dedication to supporting the means of justice. This ample expertise is reflected in our case results, with over $1 billion in settlements won to date, including a $6 million verdict in a high-speed police pursuit case that resulted in the deaths of two innocent bystanders – one of the United States’ largest verdicts in a high-speed pursuit filing.
Put our experience to work for you. Reach out to our dedicated police misconduct attorneys today.
If you have suffered police misconduct or brutality in Washington, DC, your first step towards justice should be to contact the police misconduct lawyers at Regan Zambri Long. Our team will evaluate your case and file complaints with the relevant agencies in DC, including the Office of Police Complaints and the Internal Affairs Bureau of the Metropolitan Police Department.
From there, we can assist you in filing a lawsuit against police misconduct in a DC Federal Court, Superior Court, or another state court, depending on your specific circumstances and experiences. By bringing your case to us, you can secure expert assistance and support, ensuring that your complaint reaches the right agencies and organizations to secure a favorable verdict.
Washington, DC outlines several guidelines for how police misconduct cases may be initiated. The specific rules and deadlines depend on how you, as a victim, file your lawsuit. If you file a general claim for battery or assault, you are granted one year from the date of the incident during which to file. If you wish to file a lawsuit in Federal Court, you may have up to two years from the date of your incident to do so, depending on the type of misconduct that has taken place.
Victims of police misconduct in DC are also granted 90 days from the date of the incident to file a complaint with the Office of Police Complaints (OPC).
If you have suffered police brutality or misconduct, you should be compensated not only for direct injuries, but also for financial losses, emotional distress, and the pain and suffering you have experienced. Regan Zambri Long’s specialist police misconduct lawyers will create a case which seeks to compensate you for your immediate and ongoing medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional trauma as well.
You may also be entitled to claim punitive damages, depending on the nature of your case.
The OPC investigates a variety of different claim types and damages. These include unnecessary or excessive force, police harassment, insulting or demeaning conduct, discrimination and racial profiling, and retaliation for previous filings of OPC complaints. The Office will also investigate claims of police officials failing to wear or display identification, and failure to properly identify themselves as law enforcement officers.
It is important to note that this is not an exhaustive list, and may not cover all of the forms of police misconduct that law enforcement officers may commit.
The Office of Police Complaints in Washington, DC recognizes racial profiling and discrimination in the list of offences it investigates. If you have experienced discrimination at the hands of a law enforcement officer, contact Regan Zambri Long immediately to begin the process of filing an official complaint.
According to the DC Office of Police Complaints, harassment is the most common type of police misconduct reported, as of 2024. The OPC notes that harassment accounted for 48% of all the complaints it received in 2024, followed by inappropriate language and conduct, which accounted for 25% of reports. Unnecessary or excessive force made up 13% of the total complaints filed, and officers under the age of 35 years were the subject of 47% of the complaints filed in 2024.
The value of your police misconduct case will vary according to the nature of the offences you suffered, the quality and strength of your evidence, and other key factors. The National Police Funding Database reports that as of July 2025, when the database was last updated, 228 publicly available settlements were reported, along with a collective $2,373,085,597 in settlements won for victims. The NPFD’s listed settlements range in value from tens of thousands of dollars to multiple millions.
The OPC’s 2024 fiscal year report notes that the Office received 1,553 misconduct allegations and 942 police misconduct complaints as of 2024. This figure represents a 7% increase over 2023’s complaints volume, coming as the largest number of filings that the OPC has ever recorded in its history of operations.
With cases of police misconduct on the rise, it has never been more important to have an expert DC police misconduct lawyer by your side. Our knowledgeable legal professionals at Regan Zambri Long have over 200 years of combined experience in securing life-changing settlements for our clients. Approach us to help you fight for justice and restore your dignity and quality of life.