Updated: 1:00 PM EDT April 30, 2021 TOLEDO, Ohio — As legislators continue to banter about police reform, the term "qualified immunity" is being used more and more. Many proponents of police reform and organizations like the NAACP want to end the practice. But what is it exactly? Qualified immunity dates back to 1871 when Congress adopted legislation protecting government officials, including law enforcement officers, from individual liability unless the official violated a clearly established constitutional right. This made it difficult to successfully sue police officers, and according to the National Conference of State Legislators, very few lawsuits were successfully brought prior to the 1960s.