Charlotte Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App'x 165 (3rd Cir. 2013). · Go Syfert
Charlotte Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App'x 165 (3rd Cir. 2013). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
36 citation events (36 in the last 25 years) across 6 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: GALE v. TERRA (paed, 2025-02-27)
Treatment trajectory · 2013 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
2013 2019 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 34 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) GALE v. TERRA
E.D. Pa. · 2025 · signal: see, e.g. · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
as the district court noted, fifth amendment claim fails because the due process clause of the fifth amendment only applies to federal officials, and is a state official.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) HALGAS v. BURLINGTON COUNTY (2×)
D.N.J. · 2024 · quote attribution · 2 verbatim quotes · confidence high
bergdoll's fifth amendment claim fails because the due process clause of the fifth amendment only applies to federal officials, and is a state official.
discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) THE ESTATE OF MICHAEL TRISTIAN PAONE, BY AND THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE ESTATE, MICHAEL PAONE, JR. AND LISA PAONE v. PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP
E.D. Pa. · 2022 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
as the istrict ourt noted, fifth amendment claim fails because the due process clause of the fifth amendment only applies to federal officials, and is a state official.
discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Figueroa v. Moyer
M.D. Penn. · 2022 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
fifth amendment claim fails because the due process clause of the fifth amendment only applies to federal officials, and officer is state official
discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Fiddemon v. Maholik
M.D. Penn. · 2022 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
fifth amendment claim fails because the due process clause of the fifth amendment only applies to federal officials, and officer state official
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Rasheedah Heard, as parent and natural guardian of Minor I.A. v. City of Plainfield; Plainfield Public School District; Plainfield Board of Education; Rashon K. Hasan; Kevin Stansbury; Shaniesha Evans; Frank Fusco; Tyrone Williams; Plainfield Police Department; Officer Michael Gordon; John Does 1-10; and John Does 11-20
D.N.J. · 2025 · confidence medium
(ECF No. 37-1 at 11 (citing Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013).) As to School Defendants’ arguments, Plaintiff contends the Amended Complaint alleges facts that would permit the Court to infer that School Defendants “took active steps to instigate or encourage I.A.’s prosecution.” (ECF No. 44 at 30.) It appears Plaintiff did not respond to City Defendants’ Bergdoll argument.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Gorrio v. Briggs
M.D. Penn. · 2025 · confidence medium
See Santos v. Sec’y of D.H.S., 532 F. App’x 29, 33 (3d Cir. 2013) (unpublished) (“[T]he Fifth Amendment applies to actions of the federal government, not state actions[.]” (citing Citizens for Health v. Leavitt, 428 F.3d 167 , 178 n.11 (3d Cir. 2005))); Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (unpublished) (dismissing plaintiff’s Fifth Amendment claim against city and county officials because plaintiff did not allege wrongdoing by any federal actors).
cited Cited as authority (rule) PATRICK v. NEW JERSEY STATE PRISON
D.N.J. · 2025 · confidence medium
City of Yerk 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (citing Neuyer vy.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) VANDERVOORT v. NORTH ALLEGHENY SCHOOL DISTRICT
W.D. Pa. · 2024 · confidence medium
Fifth Amendment claim The nature of Vandervoort’s Fifth Amendment claim is indecipherable from the allegations in her Second Amended Complaint.” To the extent she is raising some sort of due process claim pursuant to the Fifth Amendment, it fails because “the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment only applies to federal officials.” Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (citing Nguyen v. U.S. Catholic Conference, 719 F.2d 52 , 54 (3d Cir. 1983)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Semerod v. Siko
M.D. Penn. · 2024 · confidence medium
IV. 18 See United States v. Lauria, 70 F.4th 106, 120 (2d Cir. 2023); United States v. Johnson, 43 F.4th 1100, 1110 (10th Cir. 2022). 19 United States v. Bedford, 519 F.2d 650, 655-56 (3d Cir. 1975). 20 Doc. 1-1 ¶ 14. 21 Id. ¶ 15. 22 See Bedford, 579 F.2d at 655-56. 23 Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (citing Nguyen v. U.S. Cath.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Cody v. PENNRIDGE SCHOOL DISTRICT
E.D. Pa. · 2023 · confidence medium
Caldwell v. Beard, 324 F. App’x 186, 189 (3d Cir. 2009); Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Bell v. Houser
M.D. Penn. · 2023 · confidence medium
Defendants’ motion seeks dismissal based solely on the allegations in plaintiff’s complaint and conversion of the motion is therefore not warranted. (1907); Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (nonprecedential)3 (citing Nguyen v. U.S. Cath.
cited Cited as authority (rule) GREGA v. VROMAN
W.D. Pa. · 2023 · confidence medium
Grega’s due process claim pursuant to the Fifth Amendment also fails because “the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment only applies to federal officials.” Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 Fed.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Smith, Dennis v. Virgin Islands Housing Authority
D.V.I. · 2023 · confidence medium
Mar. 17, 2015) (citing Bergdoll v. City of New York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (affirming dismissal of claims brought under the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment against state officials).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) GRANT v. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
E.D. Pa. · 2022 · confidence medium
Cir. 2013) (NPO) (affirming summary judgment holding that police officers had probable cause to arrest plaintiff under § 5503 because plaintiff was engaged in “tumultuous behavior” and making “unreasonable noise” in a vacant lot and noting that “public unruliness is a sine qua non of disorderly conduct”) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted); Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 169 (3d.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Whyte v. Centre County Correctional facility
M.D. Penn. · 2021 · confidence medium
Moreover, the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause “only applies to federal officials.” See Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013).
cited Cited as authority (rule) CHRISTIAN v. GARMAN
M.D. Penn. · 2021 · confidence medium
That clause, however, “only applies to federal officials.” See Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Resto-Colon v. McCoy
M.D. Penn. · 2020 · confidence medium
No. 1 at 6.) The Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause, however, “only applies to federal officials.” See Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013).
cited Cited as authority (rule) TAVERNA v. PALMER TOWNSHIP
E.D. Pa. · 2020 · confidence medium
However, “the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment only applies to federal officials[.]” Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) YOAST v. POTTSTOWN BOROUGH
E.D. Pa. · 2020 · confidence medium
State Law Claims Against the Pottstown Defendants, Legal Aid, and Wisler Pearlstine Yoast also alleges state law claims against various of the Pottstown Defendants,155 Legal Aid,156 and Wisler Pearlstine157 related to the § 1983 claims against those defendants.158 148 Santos v. New Jersey, 393 F. App’x 893, 894 (3d Cir. 2010). 149 Hyatt v. Cty. of Passaic, 340 F. App’x 833 , 836–37 (3d Cir. 2009). 150 See Kentucky v. Graham, 473 U.S. 159, 166 (1985). 151 Hyatt, 340 F. App’x at 838. 152 See Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 172 (3d Cir. 2013). 153 See Thomas, 749 F.3d at 22…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) KENWORTHY v. LYNDHURST POLICE DEPARTMENT
D.N.J. · 2020 · confidence medium
Bergdoll v. City of New York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013); see also Myers v. Cnty. of Somerset, 515 F. Supp. 2d 492, 504 (D.N.J. 2007) (“[T]he rights provided by the Fifth Amendment do not apply to the actions of state officials.”).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) SONGG v. PATERSON CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
D.N.J. · 2019 · confidence medium
Plaintiff responds that this argument is “merely semantic.” Opp. at 3. “[T]he Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment only applies to federal officials.” Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (citing Nguyen v. U.S. Catholic Conference, 719 F.2d 52 , 54 (3d Cir. 1983)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Patterson v. United States of America
D.D.C. · 2013 · signal: cf. · confidence medium
See Reichle, 132 S.Ct. at 2096 (noting that to state a claim for retaliatory arrest, the plaintiff must establish a causal connection between an officer’s animus and the injurious arrest); cf. Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 Fed.Appx. 165, 170 (3d Cir.2013) (finding that, on summary judgment, a plaintiff's First Amendment retaliatory arrest claim fails where "she cannot show that her speech was the but-for cause of her arrest”).
cited Cited "see" CARTER v. ALLEGHENY COUNTY JAIL
W.D. Pa. · 2025 · signal: see · confidence high
See Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App'x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (citing Nguyen v. U.S. Cath.
cited Cited "see" DAVIS v. WETZEL
W.D. Pa. · 2024 · signal: see · confidence high
See Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App'x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (citing Nguyen v. U.S. Cath.
cited Cited "see" Monche v. Grill
M.D. Penn. · 2022 · signal: see · confidence high
See Lnu, 575 F.3d at 306 . 79 Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App'x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013). 80 The standards to evaluate the two claims are essentially the same.
cited Cited "see" WASHINGTON v. WETZEL
W.D. Pa. · 2022 · signal: see · confidence high
See Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (citing Nguyen v. U.S. Catholic Conference, 719 F.2d 52 , 54 (3d Cir. 1983)).
discussed Cited "see" MORRIESON v. CITY OF JERSEY CITY
D.N.J. · 2022 · signal: see · confidence high
See Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (noting that the plaintiff’s Fifth Amendment claim failed because Fifth Amendment due process applies only to federal officials and the defendant was a state official).
discussed Cited "see" HARROLD v. CITY OF JERSEY CITY
D.N.J. · 2020 · signal: see · confidence high
See Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (noting that the “Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment only applies to federal officials” and not to state or local officials) (citing Nguyen v. U.S. Catholic Conference, 719 F.2d 52 , 54 (3d Cir. 1983)).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Najee M. Lundy v. Patrol Officer Rodriguez, Burlington Township Police Department
D.N.J. · 2026 · signal: see, e.g. · confidence low
See, e.g., Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165 , 170 Gd Cir. 2013) (“Bergdoll's Fifth Amendment claim fails because the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment only applies to federal officials, and [defendant] is a state official.”); Caldwell v. Beard, 324 F. App’x 186, 189 (3d Cir. 2009) (“[T]he due process clause under the Fifth Amendment only protects against federal governmental action and does not limit the actions of state officials.”); and WHEREAS, all of the Defendants identified in Plaintiff’s Complaint are state actors; CONSEQUENTLY, the Court finds that Plain…
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Hinton v. Houser
M.D. Penn. · 2025 · signal: see also · confidence medium
See Santos v. Sec’y of D.H.S., 532 F. App’x 29, 33 (3d Cir. 2013) (unpublished) (“[T]he Fifth Amendment applies to actions of the federal government, not state actions[.]” (citing Citizens for Health v. Leavitt, 428 F.3d 167 , 178 n.11 (3d Cir. 2005))); see also Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (unpublished) (dismissing plaintiff’s Fifth Amendment claim against city and county officials because plaintiff did not allege wrongdoing by any federal actors). was treated differently than “anyone else who was being removed from one program due to [their] be…
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Myers v. Harry
M.D. Penn. · 2025 · signal: see also · confidence medium
See Santos v. Sec’y of D.H.S., 532 F. App’x 29, 33 (3d Cir. 2013) (unpublished) (“[T]he Fifth Amendment applies to actions of the federal government, not state actions[.]” (citing Citizens for Health v. Leavitt, 428 F.3d 167 , 178 n.11 (3d Cir. 2005))); see also Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (unpublished) (dismissing plaintiff’s Fifth Amendment claim against city and county officials because plaintiff did not allege wrongdoing by any federal actors).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." DEJESUS v. DAVIS
D.N.J. · 2024 · signal: see also · confidence medium
July 24, 2020) (finding local government actors not subject to liability under the Fifth Amendment); see also Bergdoll v. York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (Gd Cir. 2013) (pronouncing that the Fifth Amendment does not apply to state officials, only federal officials).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." COUSAR v. MORGAN
D.N.J. · 2022 · signal: see, e.g. · confidence medium
See, e.g., Bergdoll v. City of York, 515 F. App’x 165, 170 (3d Cir. 2013) (stating that the plaintiff’s “Fourteenth Amendment substantive due process claim fails because her claims of excessive force, false arrest, and malicious prosecution are cognizable under the Fourth Amendment, and when government behavior is governed by a specific constitutional amendment, due process analysis is inappropriate”) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted); Meketa v. Kamoie, 955 F. Supp. 2d 345, 365 (M.D.
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Charlotte BERGDOLL, Appellant
v.
CITY OF YORK; The Honorable John S. Brenner, Mayor, Individually and as Mayor for the City of York; Mark L. Whitman, Individually and as Police Commissioner for the City of York; Wesley Kahley, Individually and as Police Captain of Operations for the City of York; Police Officer A. Baez, Badge Number 192, Individually and as a Police Officer for the City of York; The County of York; H. Stanley Rebert, Individually and as District Attorney for the County of York
11-4353.
Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Mar 15, 2013.
515 F. App'x 165
John G. Bergdoll, III, Esq., York, PA, for Appellant. Gary H. Dadamo, Esq., Robert G. Hanna, Jr., Esq., Lavery Faherty Patterson, Harrisburg, PA, Donald B. Hoyt, Esq., City of York, York, PA, James D. Young, Esq., James, Smith, Dietterick & Connelly, Hershey, PA, for City of York; The Honorable John S. Brenner, Mayor, Individually and as Mayor for the City of York; Mark L. Whitman, Individually and as Police Commissioner for the City of York; Wesley Kahley, Individually and as Police Captain of Operations for the City of York; Police Officer A. Baez, Badge Number 192, Individually and as a Police Officer for the City of York; The County of York; H. Stanley Rebert, Individually and as District Attorney for the County of York.
Rendell, Fisher, Jordan.
Cited by 33 opinions  |  Unpublished
1 passage pin-cited by 1 case
Pinpoint authority: bottom 87%
Citer courts: D. New Jersey (1)

OPINION OF THE COURT

FISHER, Circuit Judge.

In this civil rights action under 42 U.S.C § 1983, plaintiff Charlotte Bergdoll appeals from the District Court’s grant of summary judgment to York City Police Officer Andrew Baez, the County of York, the City of York, and various city and county officials. We will affirm.

I.

Because we write principally for the parties, who are familiar with the factual context and legal history of this case, we will set forth only those facts that are necessary to our analysis.

On October 12, 2006, Officer Andrew Baez responded to a dispatch call to check on the welfare of children living at 745 West Poplar Street in York, Pennsylvania. When he arrived at the residence, Officer Baez met the tenant, a woman named Cassandra Whitted. A short time later, Charlotte Bergdoll, who worked for Cherry Lane Realty as the manager of the property, arrived at the residence.

The parties present different accounts of what happened next. At his deposition, Officer Baez testified that Bergdoll started yelling and directing profanities at him and Whitted, and that he then told Berg-doll that she had to leave the residence. Bergdoll denies using profanity but does admit that she questioned why Officer Baez was investigating housing codes issues and asked him whom he was “screwing.” Officer Baez then told Bergdoll that she was under arrest. Bergdoll claims that she immediately stopped and put her hands behind her back in order to be handcuffed, but that Officer Baez then pushed her to the ground and kneeled on[*168] top of her back while she screamed for help. Officer Baez testified that Bergdoll pulled away from him while he was leading her onto the property’s porch, that she resisted arrest while the two struggled on the porch, and that he finally had to put Bergdoll to the ground and call for backup while Bergdoll continued to scream and resist. In any event, after a second officer arrived on the scene, Bergdoll was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

At the police station, Bergdoll filed a private citizen complaint against Officer Baez, which was investigated by William Follmer of the York City Police Department Internal Affairs Department. After Folmer left Internal Affairs, the file was reviewed by Philip Roberts, who testified at his deposition that there was nothing in Officer Baez’s history that would have alerted anyone to his being prone to the use of excessive force or to violating citizens’ rights.

Assistant District Attorney Laurence Stone was assigned by District Attorney H. Stanley Rebert to handle Bergdoll’s trial for disorderly conduct. Bergdoll was eventually tried and acquitted of the disorderly conduct charge. Stone testified at his deposition that he had not been specifically instructed by the District Attorney’s office as to how to handle the case and that his decision not to drop the charges against Bergdoll was an exercise of his own discretion.

On October 10, 2008, Bergdoll brought the present lawsuit against Officer Baez, the City of York, the County of York, Police Commissioner Mark Whitman, and Police Captain of Operations Wesley Kah-ley. In her amended complaint, Bergdoll alleged, under § 1988, violations of her First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights, along with related state law claims. [1] On April 27, 2011, the District Court granted summary judgment to all defendants except Officer Baez on all of Bergdoll’s claims, and to Officer Baez on all claims but Bergdoll’s allegation of excessive force under the Fourth Amendment. Bergdoll v. City of York, No. 3:08-CV-1879, 2011 WL 1601605, at *10 (M.D.Pa. Apr. 27, 2011). The remaining claim proceeded to a jury trial, and on November 3, 2011, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Officer Baez.

Bergdoll’s timely appeal to this Court followed.

II.

The District Court had jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1367. We have appellate jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. We review de novo a district court’s decision to grant a motion for summary judgment. Horn v. Thoratec Corp., 376 F.3d 163, 165 (3d Cir.2004). Summary judgment is appropriate when there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a). We must view the facts in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, who is entitled to “all reasonable inferences from the record.” Liberty Lincoln-Mercury, Inc. v. Ford Motor Co., 676 F.3d 318, 323 (3d Cir.2012).

III.

A.

We first consider Bergdoll’s claims against Officer Baez. Bergdoll argues that the District Court erred when it granted summary judgment to Officer Baez on[*169] qualified immunity grounds on Bergdoll’s claims under the First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments. [2] We disagree.

1.

The District Court properly granted summary judgment to Officer Baez on Bergdoll’s claims of Fourth Amendment false arrest. To prevail on a claim of false arrest under § 1983, a plaintiff must show that she was arrested without probable cause. Groman v. Twp. of Manalapan, 47 F.3d 628, 634 (3d Cir.1995); accord Dowling v. City of Phila., 855 F.2d 136, 141 (3d Cir.1988) (“The proper inquiry in a section 1983 claim based on false arrest ... is not whether the person arrested in fact committed the offense but whether the arresting officers had probable cause to believe the person arrested had committed the offense”). Probable cause exists “whenever reasonably trustworthy information or circumstances within a police officer’s knowledge are sufficient to warrant a person of reasonable caution to conclude that an offense has been committed by the person being arrested.” United States v. Myers, 308 F.3d 251, 255 (3d Cir.2002). The validity of an arrest is determined by the law of the state where the arrest occurred. Id.

The record supports the District Court’s conclusion that Officer Baez had probable cause to arrest Bergdoll for disorderly conduct. [3] Although Bergdoll denies using profanity during her encounter with Officer Baez, she does admit that her arrest followed a “period of arguing” during which Bergdoll questioned Officer Baez as to whom he was “screwing.” We agree with the District Court that given the situation and Bergdoll’s “hostile and confrontational language,” Bergdoll, 2011 WL 1601605, at *5, Officer Baez had probable cause to arrest Bergdoll for disorderly conduct. [4]

2.

The District Court also properly granted summary judgment to Officer Baez on Bergdoll’s claim of First Amendment retaliation. In order to prevail on such a claim, a plaintiff must prove “(1) that he[*170] engaged in constitutionally-protected activity; (2) that the government responded with retaliation; and (3) that the protected activity caused the retaliation.” Eichenlaub v. Twp. of Indiana, 385 F.3d 274, 282 (3d Cir.2004). “[U]pon a prima facie showing of retaliatory harm, the burden shifts to the defendant official to demonstrate that even without the impetus to retaliate he would have taken the action complained of.” Hartman v. Moore, 547 U.S. 250, 260, 126 S.Ct. 1695, 164 L.Ed.2d 441 (2006).

Bergdoll argues that her statements regarding “the police role in codes issues,” combined with Officer Baez’s “personal ill-will” toward her, resulted in her retaliatory arrest on disorderly conduct charges. But as the District Court correctly held, Bergdoll’s claim fails because she cannot show that her speech was the but-for cause of her arrest. Although her speech was protected and she was arrested a short time after making her remarks, the record supports the District Court’s conclusion that it was Bergdoll’s “aggressive and confrontational behavior,” Bergdoll, 2011 WL 1601605, at *6, not her speech, that prompted her arrest.

3.

Nor did the District Court err in granting summary judgment to Officer Baez on Bergdoll’s claims under the Due Process Clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. As the District Court noted, Bergdoll’s Fifth Amendment claim fails because the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment only applies to federal officials, and Officer Baez is a state official. See, e.g., Nguyen v. U.S. Catholic Conference, 719 F.2d 52, 54 (3d Cir.1983). Bergdoll’s Fourteenth Amendment substantive due process claim fails because her claims of excessive force, false arrest, and malicious prosecution are cognizable under the Fourth Amendment, and “when government behavior is governed by a specific constitutional amendment, due process analysis is inappropriate.” Berg v. Cnty. of Allegheny, 219 F.3d 261, 268 (3d Cir.2000). See id. at 268-69 (“Although not all actions by police officers are governed by the Fourth Amendment, ... the constitutionality of arrests by state officials is governed by the Fourth Amendment rather than due process analysis.”). [5]

4.

We also reject Bergdoll’s claim that Officer Baez’s actions violated her rights under the Eighth Amendment. Bergdoll accurately quotes our decision in Howell v. Cataldi for the proposition that police conduct that “exceeds that which is reasonable and necessary under the circumstances, and also violates standards of decency more or less universally accepted” can give rise to an Eighth Amendment claim under § 1983. 464 F.2d 272, 282 (3d Cir.1972) (internal quotation marks omitted). But the Eighth Amendment only[*171] serves as a “primary source of substantive protection” after conviction, Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386, 395, 109 S.Ct. 1865, 104 L.Ed.2d 443 (1989), and the conduct complained of by Bergdoll occurred prior to and during her arrest. See also Hubbard v. Taylor, 399 F.3d 150, 164 (3d Cir. 2005) (“[T]he Eighth Amendment’s Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause does not apply until ‘after sentence and conviction.’ ” (quoting Graham, 490 U.S. at 392 n. 6, 109 S.Ct. 1865)).

B.

Bergdoll also argues that the District Court erred when it granted summary judgment to the County, the City, Whitman, and Kahley. We disagree.

1.

As the District Court found, Bergdoll’s allegations against the County can be read as asserting two basic claims: first, that the County is responsible for the actions of Officer Baez, and second, that the County violated Bergdoll’s rights by establishing a policy of ignoring citizen complaints against the police department. Neither claim has any merit.

Although municipalities such as the County qualify as “persons” under § 1983, they cannot be held liable for their employees’ actions on a theory of respondeat superior. Monell v. Dep’t of Soc. Servs., 436 U.S. 658, 691, 98 S.Ct. 2018, 56 L.Ed.2d 611 (1978). Rather, a plaintiff seeking relief from a municipality under § 1983 must identify a particular “policy or custom, whether made by its lawmakers or by those whose edicts or acts may fairly be said to represent official policy,” and show that the policy in question directly led to the complained-of injury. Id. at 694, 98 S.Ct. 2018.

Bergdoll’s first claim against the County — that it bears responsibility for the actions of Officer Baez — fails for two reasons. First, Bergdoll has offered no evidence of any policy or custom on the part of the County that led to her injury. Second, even if Bergdoll could make such a showing, her claim of Monell liability would still fail because, as outlined above, Officer Baez’s actions did not violate any of Bergdoll’s constitutional rights. [6] See City of Los Angeles v. Heller, 475 U.S. 796, 799, 106 S.Ct. 1571, 89 L.Ed.2d 806 (1986) (per curiam) (“[Njeither Monell ... nor any other of our cases authorizes the award of damages against a municipal corporation based on the actions of one of its officers when ... the officer inflicted no constitutional harm.”).

Bergdoll’s second claim against the County — that it violated her rights by establishing a policy of ignoring citizen complaints against the police department— fails because, as the District Court found, Bergdoll offers no evidence that the District Attorney’s office improperly ignored her citizen complaint, much less that they had a policy of doing so.

2.

Bergdoll argues that the City bears responsibility for the alleged constitutional violations committed by Officer Baez because it had a “policy of not properly investigating citizen complaints, formal and informal, and failing to reprimand and discipline officers involved in abuse.” Appellant’s Br. at 12. As for Whitman and Kahley, Bergdoll claims that the two men[*172] qualify as “policymakers” under Pembaur v. City of Cincinnati, 475 U.S. 469, 106 S.Ct. 1292, 89 L.Ed.2d 452 (1986), and therefore bear liability for her constitutional injuries, because “Kahley had final decision-making authority regarding the outcome of citizen complaints and [Whitman] was the final authority for all police department issues.” Appellant’s Br. at 7. Therefore, Bergdoll argues, Whitman and Kahley bear responsibility for the City’s alleged violation of her “rights to a fair and judicious citizen complaint procedure and to be heard and have the brutality she experienced examined.” Id. at 16.

After reviewing the record, we agree with the District Court that Bergdoll has failed to present evidence to support her claims. Bergdoll’s allegations against the City based on the actions of Officer Baez fail for two reasons: first, because Officer Baez did not violate any of Berg-doll’s constitutional rights, see Heller, 475 U.S. at 799, 106 S.Ct. 1571; and second, because Bergdoll has not presented any evidence that the City was deliberately indifferent in its training of Officer Baez in proper police procedure, see City of Canton v. Harris, 489 U.S. 378, 392, 109 S.Ct. 1197, 103 L.Ed.2d 412 (1989). As for Bergdoll’s claims against Whitman and Kahley, the record supports the District Court’s conclusion that Bergdoll failed to present evidence that the men were policymakers under Pembaur or, in any event, that any of Bergdoll’s constitutional rights were violated.

IV.

For the reasons set forth above, we will affirm the order of the District Court.

1

. On appeal, Bergdoll does not challenge the District Court's grant of summary judgment to defendants on her state law claims.

2

. The doctrine of qualified immunity protects government officials "from liability for civil damages insofar as their conduct does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known.” Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 800, 818, 102 S.Ct. 2727, 73 L.Ed.2d 396 (1982). Because we hold that Officer Baez did not violate Bergdoll's constitutional rights, we need not consider whether those rights were "clearly established.” See Saucier v. Katz, 533 U.S. 194, 201, 121 S.Ct. 2151, 150 L.Ed.2d 272 (2001), overruled in part on other grounds by Pearson v. Callahan, 555 U.S. 223, 129 S.Ct. 808, 172 L.Ed.2d 565 (2009) (“If no constitutional right would have been violated were the allegations established, there is no necessity for further inquiries concerning qualified immunity.”).

4

.Our judgment is based on the totality of the circumstances and not solely on the obviously offensive and insulting question to Officer Baez about whom he was ‘screwing.’ Because the District Court did not err in holding that Officer Baez had probable cause, Berg-doll’s claim for malicious prosecution also fails. See Kossler v. Crisanti, 564 F.3d 181, 186 (3d Cir.2009) (“To prove malicious prosecution under § 1983, a plaintiff must show that ... the proceeding was initiated without probable cause_").

5

. Bergdoll also asserts that her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination was violated when her "statements prior to, during, and after her arrest, as well as information gathered from the citizen's complaint she filed” were used in connection with her trial for disorderly conduct. But Bergdoll offers no evidence that her statements prior to and during her arrest, or those taken from her citizen’s complaint, were "compelled” within the meaning of the Self-Incrimination Clause. See U.S. Const., amend. V ("No person shall be ... compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself....”). Nor does Bergdoll offer any evidence of any compelled statements that were used against her in any criminal or civil proceedings. See Chavez v. Martinez, 538 U.S. 760, 776, 123 S.Ct. 1994, 155 L.Ed.2d 984 (2003) (finding no constitutional violation where plaintiff was interrogated after being shot during altercation with police, but he was never charged with a crime and his statements were never used against him in any criminal proceeding).

6

. To the extent that Bergdoll's opening brief can also be read to challenge the jury's verdict in favor of Officer Baez on Bergdoll’s claim of excessive force, we reject any such challenge because Bergdoll has failed to present any evidence calling the verdict into question.