What may happen if an officer acts with malicious intent?

• A. They may be personally liable and lose sovereign immunity.
• B. They gain automatic immunity.
• C. They are promoted.
• D. They are never liable.

Answer: (A)

When an officer acts with malicious intent, the shield of immunity typically does not apply to them personally. Malice shows an intentional violation of someone’s rights, which can strip the officer of sovereign or official immunity and open the door to personal liability. In practice, this means the officer can be sued for civil rights violations (and may face internal discipline or even criminal charges in serious cases), with the officer personally responsible for damages rather than the agency. The idea is that immunity protects actions done in good faith within official duties; once intent is malicious, that protection disappears. The other options aren’t correct because immunity isn’t automatic in malicious conduct, and promotion or being deemed never liable aren’t consequences of wrongdoing.