The case, decided in 1968 by the New York Court of Appeals, involved a plaintiff who sought police protection from a known assailant. The plaintiff had repeatedly requested assistance, even providing specific details about the potential threat. However, the police failed to provide protection, and the plaintiff was subsequently attacked and seriously injured. The legal action sought to hold the municipality liable for negligence in failing to provide adequate police protection.
The ruling established a significant precedent regarding the duty of municipalities to provide police protection to individual citizens. The court determined that a municipality is not generally liable for failing to provide specific police protection to an individual, even when that individual has requested such protection. This principle rests on the understanding that police resources are limited and must be allocated across the entire community, and that imposing liability in such cases could unduly burden municipalities. The decision acknowledges the complex policy considerations involved in allocating police resources and avoids placing an unrealistic burden on local governments.
