Opinion ID: 584639
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Other 1983 Claims

Text: 31 Section 1983 liability for a municipality, like Anne Arundel County in the present case, only applies where the municipality itself causes the constitutional violation at issue. Respondeat superior or vicarious liability will not attach under § 1983. It is only when the execution of the government's policy or custom inflicts the injury that the municipality may be held liable under § 1983. Canton v. Harris, 489 U.S. 378, 385 (1989) (citations omitted). 7 The only factual precedent provided by appellants to support its complaint against the County is the isolated activity of one police officer seven years in the past. Such an isolated action is clearly insufficient to support a § 1983 claim against the County. Much more significant and general activity on the part of a police force has been held not to provide basis or a § 1983 claim, because such activity failed to indicate deliberate indifference to the rights of persons with whom the police come into contact on the part of the police force as a whole. Id. at 388. 32 Accordingly, the district court properly dismissed appellants' claim against the County and the County officials. 8 The district court's dismissal of appellants' claims in the present case should be affirmed. AFFIRMED