Cases like this should be able to sue the goverment for reimbursement and punitive damages.
Maybe they do and I just don’t hear about it, but what I often hear about are cases where a cop is accused of being too heavy handed w/someone and the state/city pays out.
Should be same deal here.
They can, indirectly, under 42 U.S.C. ยง 1983, which allows a person to sue any person acting under color of law for deprivation of civil rights and recover actual and punitive damages and attorney's fees. The lawsuit is technically against the person acting under color of law (i.e., the government official who deprived the plaintiff of his or civil rights), but the judgment is usually paid by the defendant's government employer and/or insurance carrier.