The Manchester chief of police, Allen Aldenberg, apologized for a recruitment post on Facebook that listed qualified immunity as one of the benefits of joining the department. In a statement also posted to Facebook, Aldenberg called the mention of qualified immunity inappropriate and said he took full responsibility for it.
The message, posted Tuesday on the official Manchester Police Facebook page, was deleted after receiving hundreds of comments questioning who the department was looking to attract by listing qualified immunity as a benefit.
A police department in New Hampshire is hiring! And it's delighted to offer such "unique benefits" as "qualified immunity." pic.twitter.com/4jilkjnMuB
— Isaac Scher (@isaacscher) August 3, 2021
Qualified immunity is a controversial legal doctrine that is often used to shield police officers who engage in misconduct from liability.
Advocates pushing for police reform in New Hampshire shared screenshots of the original post on social media asking for more transparency and accountability at the department.