Assault on a Police Officer Arrests in New Canaan

An arrest for assault on a police officer in New Canaan can often be contested effectively by a knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer. If you were recently detained and accused of causing physical injury to an officer of the law, getting in touch with seasoned legal counsel should be your top priority.

What Are The Grounds for Arrests?

Assaulting a police officer can result in an arrest under Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) § 53a-167c. Common actions that can lead to an arrest include causing physical injury, spitting, spraying mace, or throwing an object at any peace office including a cop, firefighter, or even public transport personnel.

Accordingly, it is not uncommon for someone to be arrested for and charged with assault on a police officer in New Canaan—and sometimes additional offenses like disorderly conduct or interfering with an officer—based solely on an individual officer’s interpretation of what happened. To make matters worse, courts tend to side with the police officer over the defendant in these kinds of cases regardless of whether the officer’s account of things can be corroborated, especially if the defendant does not have skilled legal representation pushing back against the officer’s presumptions.

To find you guilty though, the prosecutor must also prove that you undertook this action knowing it was a peace officer and intending to prevent the peace officer from doing their job. This is where a skilled defense attorney’s help comes in.

How Can I Fight Police Officer Assault Allegations?

As noted above, there are three core elements to the criminal act of assaulting the police officer: the defendant must have known the person in question was a police officer, intentionally acted aggressively towards them, and probably caused them to suffer some type of physical injury as a direct result of their actions. Attacking even one of these elements successfully can lead to a dismissal of your case.

For example, if an officer was not wearing a badge or uniform and did not announce themselves as a police officer before trying to detain someone, a defense attorney can assert that you did not know the person was a peace officer. Likewise, if a defendant can convince the court ruling on their case that they did not intend to harm the officer they allegedly assaulted or prove that the officer did not suffer any actual injury as a result, they may be able to avoid criminal consequences for this serious offense.

A New Canaan Attorney Could Help Fight an Assault on a Police Officer Arrest

Assault on a police officer arrests in New Canaan can make for complicated legal cases, but you could significantly increase your chances of a positive outcome in yours by working with an experienced legal professional. To learn more about our firm, you can click here to read our over 300 client reviews. Call today to set up a meeting and discuss what may be possible in your situation.