Victor Moses, a 29-year-old African American police recruit, has filed a lawsuit against the Denver Police Department, alleging that severe training practices and negligence by paramedics led to the loss of both his legs.
The lawsuit, which has drawn attention to the training methods used by the department, raises serious questions about the safety and oversight of police training programs.
According to the lawsuit, Moses sustained his injuries during a fight training exercise last year. During the exercise, he was repeatedly knocked down by officers, and in one instance, an officer allegedly shoved him off the mat, causing him to hit his head on the floor.
Despite informing his superiors about his sickle cell trait and experiencing symptoms such as cramping and low blood pressure, Moses was forced to continue the rigorous training.
Paramedics on site reportedly cleared him to proceed, ignoring the clear signs of medical distress.
Moses contends that the training was excessively violent, likening it to a “barbaric hazing ritual” rather than a legitimate preparation for real-life scenarios.
The lawsuit also highlights that other recruits have suffered injuries in similar exercises, suggesting a pattern of excessive force and negligence within the department’s training culture.
The Denver Police Department and related agencies have not yet commented on the lawsuit, which is ongoing. Ian Adams, a criminology professor, pointed out that while such intense training is common across the U.S., it sometimes results in serious injuries or even death, particularly in individuals with pre-existing medical conditions.
Moses is represented by attorneys John Holland and Darold Killmer, who argue that the department’s training culture not only promotes excessive force but also has led to costly legal consequences for the city.
They assert that Moses was essentially incapacitated during the training and was a victim of excessive force, which drastically altered the course of his life.
Now living with prosthetic limbs and enduring severe phantom pain, Moses reflects on how the events during training abruptly changed his career and life.
“I more than likely could still have my legs. I more than likely could still have my sanity. I could have been a police officer had you just not hazed us,” Moses stated.
