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But in 2018 alone, Edmonton’s police force spent four times that — $746,636 — in legal fees.

There are numerous factors that play a role in how often police forces get sued. No two cities are alike, and each police service has its own culture, legal environment and relationships with the communities it serves. Some services will aggressively fight lawsuits, others will make a cost benefit analysis and settle.

But lawyers who specialize in such cases say at least part of the reason for Edmonton’s small settlement numbers is provincial legislation that bars lawsuits against police from the most accessible provincial court.

The impact of those rules is “enormous” on people seeking compensation for alleged mistreatment at the hands of law enforcement, said Avnish Nanda, a defence lawyer.

“They deprive many people of the ability to hold police officers accountable for their actions.”

Photo by Ed Kaiser Ed Kaiser / Ed Kaiser/Postmedia

The 14-year lawsuit

A police misconduct case in Alberta typically goes one of three routes.

The most grievous incidents are usually dealt with by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), which investigates major misconduct cases and cases where someone dies or is seriously injured by police.

The second is the internal police complaints process, which can result in an officer facing a disciplinary hearing. People unhappy with the outcome of that process can appeal to the independent Law Enforcement Review Board.

The third, and perhaps the least scrutinized, is the courts. Someone seeking to sue police for an unlawful arrest, excessive force or negligent investigation can file a statement of claim against the service and specific officers. But documents obtained by Postmedia show those complainants face a difficult road.