Is there a private right of action against police officers who, under color of state law, violate federal constitutional or statutory rights?

A private right of action exists against police officers who, acting under color of state law, violate federal constitutional or statutory rights. 42 U.S.C. 1983. The defense of qualified immunity, however, protects 1983 defendants from liability for civil damages when performing discretionary functions, unless such conduct violates a clearly established constitutional or statutory right of which a reasonable person would have known. See

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Anderson v. Creighton, 483 U.S. 635, 640 (1987).