Why aren’t police unions required to maintain malpractice insurance?

Why aren’t police unions required by law to maintain malpractice insurance to cover the costs of settlements for misconduct by its members? It is one of the few ways available to force some accountability. I believe either the unions should be required to carry, the individual members should carry liability insurance, or both.

Settlements for police misconduct have cost taxpayers billions, money that could have and should have gone into programs that served the taxpayers far better. Instead, those funds are diverted to pay for criminal actions perpetrated by police, who themselves usually suffer few if any consequences individually or as a class. Instead, they walk away from their misconduct and come back to bully politicians demanding increased budgets and even less accountability. Nearly all other professional groups who work with the public are required to carry malpractice insurance, so why should police be treated differently, when they cost the taxpayers hundreds of millions every single year?

In 2025, settlements have soared to reach over half a billion dollars, a colossal waste of taxpayer money in a time of desperate need.

Could a taxpayer group sue to recover the costs, or force police unions to carry malpractice insurance, something politicians apparently have no stomach for? Taxpayer groups in states that allow citizens to create initiatives to be placed on the ballot should consider doing so.

A study conducted by the Cato Institute in 2020 analyzed the costs of police misconduct settlements and judgments in the United States from 2010 to 2020. The study found that during this period, police misconduct-related payments amounted to over $3 billion (or in excess of $300 million per year). This figure includes settlements, judgments, and legal fees associated with lawsuits filed against municipal law enforcement agencies.

The issue of police misconduct and its consequences has been a subject of discussion for a considerable time. It goes beyond matters of social justice and racial equality; it also involves economic implications. The financial burden on taxpayers is substantial. It is crucial for the public to grasp that poorly designed policies and inadequate department funding, which affect the recruitment of qualified personnel and proper officer training, result in increased costs when individuals suffer from preventable errors. This article investigates ten instances where avoidable police misconduct resulted in substantial settlements and the subsequent expenses borne by taxpayers.

https://attorney-shield.com/blogs/news/the-cost-of-police-misconduct-a-review-of-ten-cases

We identified 356 publicly reported settlements that resulted in policy changes and over $3,729,152,282.00 in monetary compensation to victims.

https://policefundingdatabase.org/explore-the-database/settlements/

In 2025, U.S. cities faced significant financial burdens due to police misconduct settlements. The total costs for various cities have been substantial, reflecting ongoing issues with police accountability.

Notable Settlement Figures

Breakdown of Chicago’s Costs

Chicago taxpayers are expected to pay $283.3 million to resolve lawsuits alleging police misconduct.

This amount includes an estimated $52 million in interest over five years.

The city has spent at least $285.3 million in 2025 alone, which is significantly higher than previous years.

Results of a search for costs of police misconduct in 2025.