The town of Brookside has agreed to a proposed $1.5 million settlement in a federal class action lawsuit alleging the town operated a policing-for-profit scheme that relied heavily on aggressive ticketing and vehicle towing. The settlement, submitted last week for court approval, would compensate affected drivers and impose long-term reforms on the town’s law enforcement and revenue practices.
The lawsuit, brought by the Institute for Justice on behalf of thousands of motorists, challenges Brookside’s policing practices between March 1, 2018, and August 1, 2022.
Under the proposal, Institute for Justice said the $1 million would be allocated to individuals whose vehicles were towed by Brookside police, while $500,000 would go to people charged in the town’s municipal court during the same period…