Waubonsee Community College

The Ferguson report, Department of Justice investigation of the Ferguson Police Department, United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division ; introduction by Theodore M. Shaw

eng

Includes bibliographical references

no index present

non fiction

The Ferguson report

906122096

United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division ; introduction by Theodore M. Shaw

Department of Justice investigation of the Ferguson Police Department

"On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown, an unarmed African American high school senior, was shot by Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. For months afterward, protestors took to the streets demanding justice, testifying to the racist and exploitative police department and court system, and connecting the shooting of Brown with the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and other young black men at the hands of police across the country. In the wake of these protests, the Department of Justice launched a six-month investigation, resulting in a report that Colorlines characterizes as "so caustic it reads like an Onion article" and laying bare what the Huffington Post calls "a totalizing police regime beyond any of Kafka's ghastliest nightmares." Among the report's findings are that the Ferguson Police Department "Engages in a Pattern of Unconstitutional Stops and Arrests in Violation of the Fourth Amendment," "Detain[s] People Without Reasonable Suspicion and Arrest[s] People Without Probable Cause," "Engages in a Pattern of First Amendment Violations," "Engages in a Pattern of Excessive Force," and "Erode[s] Community Trust, Especially Among Ferguson's African-American Residents." Contextualized here in a substantial introduction by renowned legal scholar and former NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund president Theodore M. Shaw, The Ferguson Report is a sad, sobering, and important document, providing a snapshot of American law enforcement at the start of the twenty-first century, with resonance far beyond one small town in Missouri"--, Provided by publisher

Introduction / by Theodore M. Shaw -- I. Report summary -- II. Background -- III. Ferguson law enforcement efforts are focused on generating revenue -- IV. Ferguson law enforcement practices violate the law and undermine community trust, especially among African Americans. A. Ferguson's police practices. 1. FPD engages in a pattern of unconstitutional stops and arrests in violation of the Fourth Amendment ; 2. FPD engages in a pattern of First Amendment violations ; 3. FPD engages in a pattern of excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment -- B. Ferguson's municipal court practices. 1. Court practices impose substantial and unnecessary barriers to the challenge or resolution of municipal code violations ; 2. The court imposes unduly harsh penalties for missed payments or appearances -- C. Ferguson law enforcement practices disproportionately harm Ferguson's African-American residents and are driven in part by racial bias. 1. Ferguson's law enforcement actions impose a disparate impact on African Americans that violates federal law ; 2. Ferguson's law enforcement practices are motivated in part by discriminatory intent in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment and other federal laws -- D. Ferguson law enforcement practices erode community trust, especially among Ferguson's African-American residents, and make policing less effective, more difficult, and less safe. 1. Ferguson's unlawful police and court practices have led to distrust and resentment among many in Ferguson ; 2. FPD's exercise of discretion, even when lawful, often undermines community trust and public safety ; 3. FPD's failure to respond to complaints of officer misconduct further erodes community trust ; 4. FPD's lack of community engagement increases the likelihood of discriminatory policing and damages public trust ; 5. Ferguson's lack of a diverse police force further undermines community trust -- V. Changes necessary to remedy Ferguson's unlawful law enforcement practices and repair community trust -- VI. Conclusion