Police Practices

Police have the vital and difficult job of protecting public safety. Performing this job effectively does not require sacrificing civil liberties. All Pennsylvania police agencies -- from the state patrol to city police forces -- need to respect the rights of individuals while enforcing the law. And when allegations of misconduct arise, there must be policies and mechanisms to hold police accountable for their actions.

RESOURCES

• You and the Police: Rights, Responsibilities and Reality - A guide to legal rights when interacting with police.
• What To Do If You're Stopped by the Police
• What To Do If You're Stopped by the Police (Spanish version)

The 2003 video produced by the ACLU-PA Greater Pittsburgh Chapter with Nommo Productions, Pull Over... What to Do will be posted here shortly, and will also be available on our YouTube channel.

Press Releases

• ACLU Challenges Norristown Ordinance that Unfairly Impacts Domestic Violence Victims 04.24.2013
• Civil Rights Groups Say Problems Persist with Philadelphia Police Department's Stop-and-Frisk Practices 03.19.2013
• ACLU-PA Files First in Series of Lawsuits Over Illegal Arrests for Observing and Recording Philadelphia Police 01.16.2013
• ACLU-PA Files Suit On Behalf Of Woman Illegally Detained By ICE 01.15.2013
• State House Defends Fundamental Liberty in Vote on DNA Bill, Says ACLU of PA 10.18.2012
• ACLU-PA Sues Pittsburgh Police Over Its Discriminatory Hiring Practices 08.22.2012
• ACLU Files Suit On Behalf of Fayette County Man Arrested for Recording Police Officer 07.19.2012
• ACLU of Pennsylvania Disappointed After PA House Passes Spying Bill 06.13.2012
• ACLU of PA: Government Officials Want More Spying Power in Wiretap Act 03.20.2012
• Philadelphia Sued for Retaliating Against Gun Rights Advocate 02.14.2012
• City of Philadelphia Settles with Activist Illegally Arrested and Charged for Distributing Fliers on Public Sidewalk 01.24.2012
• City of Pittsburgh Settles with 11 Illegally Arrested During 2009 G-20 Summit 01.10.2012
• Bystander Sues City of Pittsburgh Over Pain and Hearing Loss Caused by Use of Long Range Acoustic Device at G-20 Protest 09.21.2011
• ACLU Settles Lawsuit Over Arrest of Man for Recording Police Officers With His Cell Phone 09.07.2011
• ACLU-PA Reaches Agreement With City of Philadelphia In Stop-And-Frisk Challenge 06.21.2011
• Pennsylvania State Police Agree To Stop Issuing Citations For Profanity 01.04.2011
• ACLU-PA Files Suit On Behalf Of US Citizen Illegally Detained By ICE for Three Days 12.01.2010
• ACLU-PA And Civil Rights Firm File Class Action Lawsuit Against Philadelphia Police Department For Racial Profiling 11.04.2010
• Governor Signs Bill to Rein in Game Commission's Stop and Search Power, Says ACLU of PA 10.07.2010
• ACLU of PA Lauds State Senate for Passage of Bill to Protect Privacy of Sportsmen 09.27.2010
• ACLU of PA Sues Police Over Citations For Profanity 05.12.2010
• Miles Incident Prompts ACLU, B-PEP Community Forum 03.08.2010
• ACLU of PA Lauds Senate Committee After Passage of Bill to Protect Sportsmen's Privacy 01.26.2010
• Rights Groups Sue Authorities for First Amendment Violations in Advance of G-20 Summit 09.11.2009
• ACLU Files Suit On Behalf of Pittsburgh Man Arrested For Taping Police 08.13.2009
• State House Passes Bill to Protect Constitutional Rights of Outdoorsmen, Wins Praise from ACLU of PA 06.01.2009
• ACLU of PA Announces Settlement for Man Arrested for Videotaping Police Officers in Public 12.18.2008
• ACLU Demands Police Accountability Plan to Ensure Success of Crime Plan 01.31.2008
• Canadian Citizen Sues PA State Trooper for Centre County Traffic Stop 07.09.2007

Legal Cases

• Briggs v. Borough of Norristown, et al. (Township forcing landlords to evict tenants for requesting police assistance)
• Montgomery v. City of Philadelphia, et al. (Philadelphia police arrest and charge man for recording an arrest)
• Davila v. Northern Regional Police Department, et al. (US citizen illegally held overnight by ICE)
• Foster, et al. v. City of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh Bureau of Police has discriminatory hiring practices)
• Rizer v. Lukart (Man arrested for recording police officer)
• Fiorino v. City of Philadelphia, et al. (Gun rights advocate retaliated against by Philadelphia police)
• Piper v. City of Pittsburgh, et al. (Bystander suffered permanent hearing loss after Pittsburgh police used a Long Range Acoustic Device against G-20 protesters in 2009)
• Galarza v. Szalczyk, et al. (US citizen mistakenly imprisoned by ICE)
• Bailey, et al. v. City of Philadelphia, et al. (Philadelphia police engaged in racial profiling)
• Walters v. Zubris (Man arrested for swearing at a police officer)
• Scarpa v. Pawlowski, et al (Woman charged with disorderly conduct for swearing)
• Matheny v. Allegheny County, et al. (Pittsburgh man arrested for recording police in public)
• Hookway v. East Vincent Township and Borough of Spring City (Man cited for videotaping police)
• Commonwealth v. Herb (Woman cited with disorderly conduct for swearing in her own home)