A  high school hockey game resulted in a scuffle between off-duty police officers and an assistant coach and his wife. As a result of the scuffle, the coach and his wife were arrested for assaulting the police officers. At a trial they were acquitted. Later they filed a complaint against the two police officers claiming they violated their civil rights. Was the action against the police officers for a violation of civil rights civil or criminal? Explain your answer. See Coon v. Joseph, 192 Cal. App. 3d 1269, 237 Cal. Rptr. 873 (1987).