In early March, Ferguson, Missouri’s City Manager and the Police Chief resigned.
Their exit came in response to a scathing report by the US Department of Justice.
It detailed rampant racial bias present in the police force and municipal court system.
So how did Ferguson’s racism get so out of hand?
Well, in 2014, a Ferguson police officer shot Michael Brown, an unarmed, 18-year-old African
American.
Protests broke out across the country, prompting President Obama to order a federal investigation
of the events leading up to the death.
On March 4th, the federal report was released.
It said that police and municipal court practices in Ferguson had “establish clear racial
disparities that adversely affect African Americans”.
Inappropriate slurs and unwarranted aggression were documented in e-mails and interviews
with victims.
Ferguson city records showed that, from 2012 to 2014, despite making up two thirds of the
population, African Americans accounted for nearly all of Ferguson’s traffic stops,
citations and arrests..
So how did racism get so out of hand in Ferguson?
Well, the report details that Ferguson’s Police Chief, and all ranks of police officers,
were heavily encouraged to increase city profits through increased enforcement.
This priority on generating revenue, was said to contribute “unnecessary harm” to the
community.
Combined with an “existing racial bias”, as evidenced by inappropriate e-mails and
personal interactions, it exacerbated the abuse towards African Americans.
To eliminate and curb racial disparities the Department of Justice suggested 26 vital changes
for the police force and municipal court.
Major bids were made to increase employee training and diversity, police oversight,
community youth involvement, and to encourage police to use minimal force on calls.
The Attorney General, on March 12th, announced that there would be a new pilot-program aimed
at reducing racial bias in law enforcement for 6 selected cities.
It is hoped that these programs will improve trust between police men and women, and the
communities that they patrol.
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