NYPD Lawsuits Rise Dramatially; Lawsuits Against New York City Cost $550.4 Million In Last Fiscal Year

In the 2011 fiscal year alone, New York City paid out a staggering $550.4 million-- or about $70 per New York resident-- to settle a litany of lawsuits ranging from personal injury claims to medical malpractice.

A large chunk of that over half a billion dollar figure-- a five percent increase over the year before-- stems from lawsuits brought against the New York Police Department. Lawsuits against the NYPD cost city taxpayers $185 million, more than any other city agency.

Using a report conducted by City Comptroller John Liu, The Daily News reports there were 8,882 lawsuits against the NYPD, a dramatic 35 percent increase over the previous fiscal year.

Between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012, the NYPD reportedly paid $22 million to settle civil rights cases made against officers.

Such settlements included $1.2 million paid out to two Colombian brothers who spent a combined 17 years in prison for armed robbery charges that were eventually thrown out.

In 2011, it was revealed the city shelled out nearly $6 billion to settle all sorts of claims from 2000-2010.