In the last few days the United States Department of Justice has released two reports regarding the shooting of Michael Brown by Officer Darren Wilson of the Ferguson Police Department and a review of the Ferguson Police Department itself.
Contrary to the desires of a large percentage of the public, the report on the shooting of Michael Brown cleared Officer Wilson of criminal liability in the case.
The report on the Ferguson Police Department, however, brought a scathing review of a police department that consistently acted outside the Constitution of the United States and had definitely moved from serving the public to a self serving, revenue generating, law breaking mode of operation. This report does not target the police department alone, but also finds fault in the municipality and court system charged with serving and protecting the public.
This report also makes distinction in the treating of blacks in Ferguson and it’s disparity and prejudice as compared to other races.
While this report focuses on Ferguson, the content could apply to any police department in the United States. It should be used as a guideline for changes in policies that provide fair policing and treatment of the public by law enforcement and government officials.
Following are links to the reports:
Link to Justice Department Report
Link to DOJ Report on the shooting of Michael Brown