Opinion ID: 66141
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Dismissal of MDPD

Text: On appeal, Williams argues that the MDPD knew that defendants Baaske, Carey, and McIntosh had a propensity for malicious conduct, yet kept them employed, and the dismissal of the MDPD as a party was error because the MDPD conducted a “mock” interview in which defendants Carey and McIntosh were permitted to intimidate Williams. “[P]olice departments are not usually considered legal entities subject to suit, but capacity to sue or be sued shall be determined by the law of the state in which the district court is held.” Dean v. Barber, 951 F.2d 1210, 1214 (11th Cir. 1992) (internal citations and quotations omitted) (dismissing as a defendant to a § 1983 suit a county sheriff’s department in Alabama). Under Florida law, police departments are not legal entities amenable to suit. Masson v. Miami-Dade County., 738 So. 2d 431, 432 (Fla. App. 3d 1999) (noting that the MDPD lacks the 7 capacity to be sued under the Miami-Dade County Code § 2-91); Fla. City Police Dep’t. v. Corcoran, 661 So. 2d 409, 410 (Fla. App. 3d 1995). Because the MDPD does not have the capacity to be sued under Florida law, the district court did not err in dismissing it as a party.