What type of claims can victims of police misconduct file civil suits for?

Victims of police misconduct can file civil suits primarily for false arrest, assault, and battery, which are direct violations of an individual's rights. False arrest pertains to being detained without probable cause and disregards the legal rights of the individual. This situation arises when a law enforcement officer unlawfully confines a person, thus violating their Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Assault and battery further elaborate on the misuse of police authority. Assault involves an intentional act that causes another person to fear imminent harmful or offensive contact, while battery refers to the actual physical contact that may result from such an aggressive action. Both are significant claims when police officers overstep their bounds and use excessive force or intimidation.

The other options include claims that, while serious, typically do not fall under the category of police misconduct related to civil rights violations. For instance, negligence and fraud may pertain to general civil liability but don't specifically capture the essence of law enforcement errors. Defamation and slander are related to reputational harm but do not typically involve the direct acts of police misconduct in the same way that false arrest, assault, and battery do. Claims related to traffic violations and theft are more about general criminal laws rather than civil rights issues concerning police actions.