The Short Police Truck

Q: At work for the police department, I was helping to load a wooden police barrier onto a police flatbed truck – standing at the rear of the truck and holding the barrier.  All of a sudden, another officer pushed the barrier into my chest, causing me to fall backwards and off the truck, into the street.

The truck was too short to accommodate the full length of the barriers being loaded.  Its back was left open and unprotected, and the side railings were only three-feet high.  During the loading process, only one officer could comfortably fit on this truck.

All the while, the Department had a newer truck available.  It was long enough to accommodate the full length of the barriers without any portion hanging off the back.  That truck was equipped with a tailgate and could hold two officers.

A: It appears that you suffered an injury involving an improperly equipped police truck.  The truck was too short and lacked the proper railings for the task of barrier loading.  Nowadays, under New York’s Public Employee Safety and Health Act, even a police department must provide a safe workplace free from recognized hazards, and reasonable and adequate protection to your life, safety and health.  From what you tell me, the department did not.

By: Scott Baron,
Attorney at Law Advertorial

The law responds to changed conditions; exceptions and variations abound. Here, the information is general; always seek out competent counsel. This article shall not be construed as legal advice.

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