Showing posts with label Ferguson Police Department. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ferguson Police Department. Show all posts
Friday, March 13, 2015
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Eric Holder: Shooting Of Police Officers In Ferguson 'Inexcusable And Repugnant'
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| AP Photo / Jeff Robertson |
Attorney General Eric Holder issued a statement this morning in reaction to the shooting of two police officers in Ferguson, Missouri.
“This heinous assault on two brave law enforcement officers was inexcusable and repugnant,” Holder says, condemning the violence against public safety officials.
The two police officers were shot as protestors gathered in front of the police station – the same day the police chief resigned.
Holder seemed particularly upset that the shootings took place after his department issued a report highlighting civil rights abuses in Ferguson.
“Such senseless acts of violence threaten the very reforms that nonviolent protesters in Ferguson and around the country have been working towards for the past several months,” he said.
Holder insisted he and his entire department would be willing to assist the police force in finding the responsible shooter.
Read the full story: www.breitbart.com
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The NBA consists of 76 percent black players. But blacks are just 13 percent of the country. Clearly, the league engages in racial discrimination against whites. Silly, right? Well, this is exactly what the sleight-of-hand Department of Justice pulled off to find that the Ferguson Police Department engages in "implicit and explicit racial bias"!
The report insults anybody who's ever studied the statistics - or logic.
The 105-page report concludes: "Ferguson's law enforcement practices are shaped by the City's focus on revenue rather than by public safety needs. This emphasis on revenue has compromised the institutional character of Ferguson's police department, contributing to a pattern of unconstitutional policing, and has also shaped its municipal court, leading to procedures that raise due process concerns and inflict unnecessary harm on members of the Ferguson community. Further, Ferguson's police and municipal court practices both reflect and exacerbate existing racial bias, including racial stereotypes. Ferguson's own data establish clear racial disparities that adversely impact African Americans. The evidence shows that discriminatory intent is part of the reason for these disparities. Over time, Ferguson's police and municipal court practices have sown deep mistrust between parts of the community and the police department, undermining law enforcement legitimacy among African Americans in particular."
The Washington Post immediately put out an article headlined "The 12 key highlights from the DOJ's scathing Ferguson report." Per the Post, the "scathing" statistic first listed is this: Ferguson is 67 percent black, but blacks comprised 85 percent of the traffic stops and 93 percent of the arrests. Incontrovertible proof that the Ferguson PD engages in institutional racism!
Reporters, in describing the Ferguson report, used adjectives that include "shocking," "stunning" and "eye-popping."
But if Ferguson's numbers are "eye-popping," what adjective applies to the New York City Police Department. New York City is 25 percent black. However, of the traffic stops, blacks comprise 55 percent. The statistical "gap" is 30 points. In Ferguson, as stated, the black population is 67 percent, but 85 percent of the traffic stops. The statistical "gap" is 18 points -- far smaller than New York's 30-point "gap."
Why aren't Messrs. Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and Eric Holder marching on Times Square?
The answer is that the liberal former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who governed for 12 years, defends the aggressive policing of the NYPD -- and the resulting "statistical disparities." Bloomberg says: "Unlike many cities, where wealthy areas get special treatment, the NYPD targets its manpower to the areas that suffer the highest crime levels. Ninety percent of all people killed in our city -- and 90 percent of all those who commit the murders and other violent crimes -- are black and Hispanic. It is shameful that so many elected officials and editorial writers have been largely silent on these facts.
"Instead, they have argued that police stops are discriminatory because they do not reflect the city's overall census numbers. By that flawed logic, our police officers would stop women as often as men and senior citizens as often as young people. To do so would be a colossal misdirection of resources and would take the core elements of police work -- targeting high-crime neighborhoods and identifying suspects based on evidence -- out of crime-fighting. ...
"That the proportion of stops generally reflects our crime numbers does not mean ... that the police are engaged in racial profiling; it means they are stopping people in those communities who fit descriptions of suspects or are engaged in suspicious activity."
The National Institute of Justice is the research and evaluation agency of the DOJ. In 2013, the NIJ published its study called "Race, Trust and Police Legitimacy." Unlike when responding to dispatch calls, police officers exercise more discretion when it comes to traffic stops. Thus, the supposedly "racial profiling" cops can have a field day when it comes to traffic stops, right?
But according to the NIJ, 3 out of 4 black drivers admit being stopped by police for a "legitimate reason." Blacks, compared to whites, were on average more likely to commit speeding or other traffic offenses. "Seatbelt usage," said the NIJ, "is chronically lower among black drivers. If a law enforcement agency aggressively enforces seatbelt violations, police will stop more black drivers." The NIJ conclusion? Numerical disparities result from "differences in offending" in addition to "differences in exposure to the police" and "differences in driving patterns."
President Obama, backed by research from the left and from the right, said, "Children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crime; nine times more likely to drop out of school and 20 times more likely to end up in prison."
Richmond, Virginia, is a city of 214,000, with a black population of 50 percent. Eighty-six percent of black Richmond families are headed by a single parent. Of Ferguson's 67 percent black population, how many kids grew up in fatherless homes?
Whatever the answer, isn't this a far more relevant statistic?
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Ferguson: 2 Police Officers Shot After Chief Resigns
By Holly Yan and Greg Botelho, Mar. 12, 2015, CNN
The overnight shootings of two police officers in Ferguson was an "ambush," St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar told reporters Thursday morning, saying the gunshots were directed at the police.
Police investigating the overnight shooting "perhaps" have some leads on who shot them, but no one is in custody, Belmar said.
Belmar said he wouldn't add details about those possible leads, saying detectives need time to work the case. Identifying the shooter or shooters is the No. 1 priority of St. Louis County police, he said.
Whoever shot the officers was there "for whatever nefarious reason it was" to inflict harm, Belmar said.
Belmar also gave details about the officers' injuries:
-- One of them -- an officer from Webster Groves, Missouri -- was shot "at the high point" of his cheek, under his right eye, and the bullet is now lodged behind one of his ears, Belmar said.
-- The other officer struck, from St. Louis County, was shot in his shoulder and the bullet came out the middle of his back, according to Belmar.
The two police officers were standing next to each other in front of the Ferguson, Missouri, police department when they were hit around midnight, Belmar said.
Authorities believe a handgun was used to shoot the two officers, Belmar said, "based on the way the shots sounded and the injuries to the police officers."
The overnight shootings of two police officers in Ferguson was an "ambush," St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar told reporters Thursday morning, saying the gunshots were directed at the police.
Police investigating the overnight shooting "perhaps" have some leads on who shot them, but no one is in custody, Belmar said.
Belmar said he wouldn't add details about those possible leads, saying detectives need time to work the case. Identifying the shooter or shooters is the No. 1 priority of St. Louis County police, he said.
Whoever shot the officers was there "for whatever nefarious reason it was" to inflict harm, Belmar said.
Belmar also gave details about the officers' injuries:
-- One of them -- an officer from Webster Groves, Missouri -- was shot "at the high point" of his cheek, under his right eye, and the bullet is now lodged behind one of his ears, Belmar said.
-- The other officer struck, from St. Louis County, was shot in his shoulder and the bullet came out the middle of his back, according to Belmar.
The two police officers were standing next to each other in front of the Ferguson, Missouri, police department when they were hit around midnight, Belmar said.
Authorities believe a handgun was used to shoot the two officers, Belmar said, "based on the way the shots sounded and the injuries to the police officers."
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Monday, March 9, 2015
Holder Says He's 'Prepared' To Dismantle Ferguson Police Department
Attorney General Eric Holder said Friday the Department of Justice is ready to take any and all steps that are needed to reform the Ferguson, Mo., police department, including the potential dismantling of the force.
Speaking to reporters at Andrews Air Force Base after a trip to South Carolina with President Obama, Holder said he was stunned by what the investigation uncovered, and will go to all necessary lengths to address racial bias and other systemic issues within the force. A Department of Justice report released Wednesday showed the police department demonstrated a pattern of racial bias and committed constitutional violations.
"We are prepared to use all the powers that we have, all the power that we have, to ensure that the situation changes there. That means everything from working with them to coming up with an entirely new structure," Holder said. When asked if that included dismantling the department, he said, "If that's what's necessary, we're prepared to do that."
Read the full story: www.washingtonpost.com
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Friday, March 6, 2015
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Darren Wilson Won't Receive Severance Package, Ferguson Mayor Says
AP, Nov. 30, 2014, Fox News
Earlier Sunday, Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Brown's family, said Wilson's resignation was not a surprise.
"It was always believed that the police officer would do what was in his best interest, both personally and professionally," Crump said. "We didn't believe that he would be able to be effective for the Ferguson community nor the Ferguson Police Department because of the tragic circumstances that claimed the life of Michael Brown Jr."
Crump said the family is still considering civil litigation such as a wrongful death lawsuit, "but don't let that get confused with the fact that they really wanted the killer of their child to be held accountable."
Read more: www.foxnews.com
Earlier Sunday, Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Brown's family, said Wilson's resignation was not a surprise.
"It was always believed that the police officer would do what was in his best interest, both personally and professionally," Crump said. "We didn't believe that he would be able to be effective for the Ferguson community nor the Ferguson Police Department because of the tragic circumstances that claimed the life of Michael Brown Jr."
Crump said the family is still considering civil litigation such as a wrongful death lawsuit, "but don't let that get confused with the fact that they really wanted the killer of their child to be held accountable."
Read more: www.foxnews.com
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Monday, December 1, 2014
Darren Wilson Resigned Over Threats, Lawyer Says
FERGUSON, Mo. - Former Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson's lawyer saysWilson resigned because he was concerned about the potential for violence against other officers if he didn't.
His lawyer, Neil Bruntrager, told The Associated Press that Wilson decided to step aside after police Chief Tom Jackson told him about the alleged threats on Saturday.
"The information we had was that there would be actions targeting the Ferguson (police) department or buildings in Ferguson related to the police department," Bruntrager said. He said Wilson, who had worked for the department for less than three years, and the city were already discussing an exit strategy, acknowledging that staying on as an officer there would be impossible.
Many have criticized the authorities' handling of the case, but the town's leaders have said no leadership changes were in the works. Asked if he would resign, Jackson said flatly, "No."
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Sunday, November 30, 2014
Despite black prez, black AG & black Sec DHS polls say--since Obama--race relations "worse." But #Ferguson's PD needs "diversity"?!?!
#tcot
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) November 29, 2014
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Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Roughly how long is the line of black #Ferguson residents applying to the police department?
#tcot
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) November 25, 2014
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Tuesday, November 25, 2014
St. Louis Prosecutor: Key Witnesses Flip-Flopped
St. Louis County Prosector Robert P. McCulloch said that the most “credible” and “reliable” eyewitnesses all came to support Officer Wilson’s claim that he shot Brown in self-defense.
During St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert P. McCulloch’s press conference on Monday night where he explained why a Missouri grand jury decided that they would not indict Police Officer Darren Wilson for fatally shooting Michael Brown, McCulloch made shocking revelations about the testimonies of some of the key witnesses.
“The most credible eyewitnesses to the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., said he had charged toward Police Officer Darren Wilson just before the final, fatal shots, the St. Louis County prosecutor said Monday night” the New York Times explained.
That kind of testimony flies in the face of the accounts given by several eyewitnesses who spoke to news organizations immediately after Brown's shooting in August: that Brown had his hands up in the air, seemingly surrendering, as Wilson continued shooting. Apparently some of those witnesses changed their stories about what happened, or their version of events didn’t match up with the physical evidence.
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| St. Louis County Prosector Robert P. McCulloch Credit: Pool / Getty Images |
By Diana Ozemebhoya Eromsele, Nov. 25, 2014, Theroot.com
During St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert P. McCulloch’s press conference on Monday night where he explained why a Missouri grand jury decided that they would not indict Police Officer Darren Wilson for fatally shooting Michael Brown, McCulloch made shocking revelations about the testimonies of some of the key witnesses.
“The most credible eyewitnesses to the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., said he had charged toward Police Officer Darren Wilson just before the final, fatal shots, the St. Louis County prosecutor said Monday night” the New York Times explained.
That kind of testimony flies in the face of the accounts given by several eyewitnesses who spoke to news organizations immediately after Brown's shooting in August: that Brown had his hands up in the air, seemingly surrendering, as Wilson continued shooting. Apparently some of those witnesses changed their stories about what happened, or their version of events didn’t match up with the physical evidence.
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Monday, November 24, 2014
Shots already fired in #Ferguson. Goodness, the protestors must be speed readers.
#ReviewTheEvidence
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) November 25, 2014
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ABC's George Stephanopoulos First To Interview Darren Wilson
ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos is currently poised to land the first interview with Darren Wilson, the Missouri police officer whose fate will be decided following the announcement of a grand jury ruling on Monday night, industry sources told POLITICO.
Members of the media who were jockeying for the first sit-down with Wilson were recently told that Stephanopoulos, the chief anchor and chief political correspondent for ABC, had won rights to the interview. That agreement is subject to change: Wilson could decide to forego interviews altogether and, if he is indicted, will not be able to give an interview. Wilson shot and killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., in August, and has not been seen in public since the shooting.
Read the full story: www.politico.com
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Grand jury vote can't be revealed. Some will say that the 3 blacks saw it differently--vote may have been 9-3 against charging.
#Ferguson
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) November 25, 2014
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After thorough & painstaking analysis, grand jury returns no indictment. Contradictory witnesses. Facts+evidence+law=no charges.
#Ferguson
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) November 25, 2014
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Darren Wilson In Negotiations To Resign from Ferguson Police Department
Ed Krayewski, Nov. 20, 2014, Reason
It's not a bad idea but probably won't dampen any protests if the grand jury decides not to indict Darren Wilson. Given the question marks about what happened the day Wilson shot Brown, an indictment seems highly unlikely as it doesn't appear there's enough evidence to prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt, particularly considering in Missouri it is legal for cops to shoot people they believe they've seen commiting a felony, like assaulting a cop. Even though Wilson is in a position of power, authorized to use force in a way "civilians" aren't, it's important that due process protections extend to him, too, especially in the face of public pressure in the other direction.
Read more: www.reason.com
It's not a bad idea but probably won't dampen any protests if the grand jury decides not to indict Darren Wilson. Given the question marks about what happened the day Wilson shot Brown, an indictment seems highly unlikely as it doesn't appear there's enough evidence to prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt, particularly considering in Missouri it is legal for cops to shoot people they believe they've seen commiting a felony, like assaulting a cop. Even though Wilson is in a position of power, authorized to use force in a way "civilians" aren't, it's important that due process protections extend to him, too, especially in the face of public pressure in the other direction.
Read more: www.reason.com
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Monday, November 10, 2014
Ferguson Resident: 'We Are Getting Prepared For War'
FERGUSON, Mo. (CBS St. Louis/AP) – Ferguson is “getting prepared for war” if a grand jury doesn’t indict Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson toldCBS News he has been meeting with students, gang members and ministers about what might happen following the grand jury decision that is expected to come down this month.
“There’s a lot of fear. A lot of people are afraid of what could happen,” Johnson explained. “In the end, this is gonna be the community we have to live in.”
Ronardo Ward, 33, is one of those hoping to maintain peace in Ferguson if Wilson isn’t indicted.
“We are getting prepared for war,” Ward told CBS News. “And that’s just crazy.”
Michael Johnson, 42, believes many young people will rail against the “system.”
By CBS St. Louis, Nov. 10, 0214
FERGUSON, Mo. (CBS St. Louis/AP) – Ferguson is “getting prepared for war” if a grand jury doesn’t indict Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson toldCBS News he has been meeting with students, gang members and ministers about what might happen following the grand jury decision that is expected to come down this month.
“There’s a lot of fear. A lot of people are afraid of what could happen,” Johnson explained. “In the end, this is gonna be the community we have to live in.”
Ronardo Ward, 33, is one of those hoping to maintain peace in Ferguson if Wilson isn’t indicted.
“We are getting prepared for war,” Ward told CBS News. “And that’s just crazy.”
Michael Johnson, 42, believes many young people will rail against the “system.”
Read the full story: www.stlouis.cbslocal.com
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Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Expert: ‘LA Riots with Rodney King Is What Should Be Expected To Happen In Ferguson’
FERGUSON, Mo. (CBS St. Louis) – Since the Aug. 9 police shooting death of Michael Brown, protests have taken over the small city of Ferguson, causing tensions to run high in the community. Nearly four months after his death, protests still continue to happen with many activists calling for Ferguson officer Darren Wilson to face charges.
A decision is expected by a grand jury sometime in November. Many expect that if Wilson is not indicted, the worst situation that could unfold in Ferguson could be similar to the 1992 Los Angeles riots that happened after Los Angeles police officers were acquitted in a trial regarding a videotaped police beating of Rodney King.
“The LA riots with Rodney King is what should be expected to happen in Ferguson,” said Jeannine Bell, a professor of law at Indiana University Maurer School of Law. “Brown’s death was very detrimental to the community. The individuals who are protesting now have suggested in speaking to the press given the ongoing protests in Ferguson that that could happen.”
Bell, who is a criminal procedure expert and has written about police crimes and hate crimes, explained that the situation in Ferguson between the community and law enforcement suggests a number of things about problematic inequalities.
Read the full story: www.stlouis.cbslocal.com
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Thursday, October 23, 2014
Just Guess What Ferguson Police Found on Missouri Democrat Who Has Sponsored Several ‘Anti-Gun’ Bills…
By Jason Howerton, Oct. 21, 2014, Theblaze.com
Missouri state Senator Jamilah Nasheed, a Democrat who has sponsored several “anti-gun” bills in her state, was arrested Monday night during a protest outside of the Ferguson Police Department. However, it’s what police officers found on her that is raising eyebrows.
Nasheed was carrying a loaded 9mm handgun and extra rounds of ammunition, according to Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson. She also refused to take a breathalyzer test after officers determined she “smelled strongly of intoxicants,” sources told KMOV-TV.
Nasheed claimed on Tuesday that she was not intoxicated at the time of her arrest and emphasized that she is a legal concealed carry permit holder.
Police arrested and charged the state senator with failure to obey lawful order of police and manner of walking in the roadway after she and other protesters refused to get out of the street.
On Tuesday morning, Nasheed said it was a “symbolic arrest” to send a “message to the protesters that we can protest peacefully and that we must protest peacefully and that we want justice for Michael Brown.”
Read the full story: www.theblaze.com
By Jason Howerton, Oct. 21, 2014, Theblaze.com
Missouri state Senator Jamilah Nasheed, a Democrat who has sponsored several “anti-gun” bills in her state, was arrested Monday night during a protest outside of the Ferguson Police Department. However, it’s what police officers found on her that is raising eyebrows.
Nasheed was carrying a loaded 9mm handgun and extra rounds of ammunition, according to Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson. She also refused to take a breathalyzer test after officers determined she “smelled strongly of intoxicants,” sources told KMOV-TV.
Nasheed claimed on Tuesday that she was not intoxicated at the time of her arrest and emphasized that she is a legal concealed carry permit holder.
Police arrested and charged the state senator with failure to obey lawful order of police and manner of walking in the roadway after she and other protesters refused to get out of the street.
On Tuesday morning, Nasheed said it was a “symbolic arrest” to send a “message to the protesters that we can protest peacefully and that we must protest peacefully and that we want justice for Michael Brown.”
Read the full story: www.theblaze.com
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Black Author Vows ‘Negro-Geddon’ If Darren Wilson Not Charged
By Fox Radio/ Defund.com, Oct. 23, 2014
Lab results are back in the case of a teenager who died in a police shooting in St. Louis last week, and they show gun residue on the clothing and body of Vonderrit Myers. Police have said the teenager fired a pistol three times at the officer. Myers’ relatives have said they don’t believe that account. Taleeb Starkes, author of the Amazon #1 Best Selling book, “THE UN-CIVIL WAR…,” told Gibson that whenever a white cop shots a black person there are always cries of racism. Starkes said there is an unbreakable covenant in the black community with thug culture, adding thugs have diplomatic immunity in the black community.
Starkes & Gibson also spoke about the potential of riots in Ferguson if Darren Wilson is not indicted for murder for shooting Mike Brown. Starkes told Gibson he thinks there will be riots and calls such events “negro-geddon”.
Source: www.defund.com
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