Victor Moses, a 29-year-old African American police recruit, has filed a lawsuit against the Denver Police Department, alleging that the harsh training practices and negligence of paramedics led to the loss of both his legs. The lawsuit, filed this week, paints a disturbing picture of the events that unfolded during a training exercise last year.
According to the lawsuit, Moses was participating in a fight training exercise when he was repeatedly knocked down by fellow officers. At one point, an officer allegedly shoved him off the mat, causing him to hit his head on the floor. Despite Moses’ repeated warnings about his sickle cell trait and symptoms like cramping and low blood pressure—signs of a serious medical risk—he was forced to continue the training. Paramedics on site, rather than intervening, cleared him to proceed.
Moses argues that the training, intended to prepare recruits for real-life policing scenarios, crossed the line into excessive violence, describing it as a “barbaric hazing ritual.” The lawsuit also highlights that other recruits have suffered injuries in similar exercises, pointing to a broader issue within the training culture at the Denver Police Department.
The Denver Police Department and related agencies have yet to comment on the ongoing lawsuit. However, Ian Adams, a criminology professor, noted that while such training exercises are common across police departments in the U.S., they can sometimes result in severe injuries or even fatalities, particularly when recruits have pre-existing medical conditions.
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Moses’ legal team, led by attorneys John Holland and Darold Killmer, argues that the training culture within the department promotes excessive force and has already led to numerous costly lawsuits against the city. They claim that Moses was incapacitated during the training and was subjected to excessive force, which ultimately led to the amputation of both his legs.
Now, Moses is learning to live with prosthetic legs and is grappling with severe phantom pain. Reflecting on the life-altering consequences of the training, he expressed his deep frustration and sorrow. “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 said.
The case has drawn attention to the dangers of police training practices and the potential for long-term harm when protocols are not followed or when recruits’ medical conditions are ignored. As the lawsuit progresses, it is likely to spark further debate about the balance between rigorous training and the safety of police recruits.