What protects law enforcement officers under qualified immunity?

The correct answer is centered around the fundamental principle of qualified immunity, which is intended to shield law enforcement officers from civil liability in the performance of their official duties. This protection applies when officers are acting within the scope of their employment and do not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known.

Limited prediction of changes in law highlights that qualified immunity acknowledges the reality that laws can evolve over time, and that officers cannot always predict how legal interpretations might shift. Given this, as long as their actions do not breach previously established rights, they are granted immunity from lawsuits.

This principle is designed to protect officers who may make reasonable mistakes in uncertain legal contexts, allowing them to perform their duties without the constant fear of being sued even when they use their discretion in interpreting laws.