Ferguson, Justice Dept. Reach Tentative Deal on Police Reform, Use of Force

The Ferguson Police Department and the Justice Department have reached an agreement to overhaul training, policies and practices after a federal investigation following the 2014 fatal police shooting of unarmed teen Michael Brown uncovered unconstitutional and discriminatory practices.

According to the Associated Press, the overhaul comes after seven months of negotiations and most likely stops a potential civil rights lawsuit which could have been brought against the department had no changes been made. The changes detailed in a 131-page proposal are a direct result of the Department of Justice’s investigative findings.

In August 2014, 18-year-old Brown was fatally shot after a confrontation with police officer Darren Wilson. Brown’s death lead to nationwide protest and national scrutiny of police officers’ use of excessive force when dealing with minority communities.

Although Wilson was cleared in the shooting, a federal investigation uncovered racial bias throughout Ferguson’s criminal justice system.  

“A Justice Department report in March found that officers routinely used excessive force, issued petty citations and made baseless traffic stops in the city of about 21,000 residents, about two-thirds of whom are black. It also criticized the police force, which was nearly all white, and the court system for leaning heavily on fines for petty municipal violations as a source of revenue for the city government,” AP reports.

The city is expected to post the tentative agreement on its website and plans to hold three public forums to receive input from area residents.

A City Council vote is scheduled for Feb. 9.

AP notes that the plan outlines a complete overhaul of basic policing practices, which, is set to include, “how officers conduct stops, searches and arrests, use their firearms and respond to demonstrations.” There will also be adjustments made to the amount of jail time an offender receives for small infractions. 

Within 180 days of the agreement taking effect, “all patrol officers, supervisors and jail workers be outfitted with body-worn cameras and microphones.” The cameras would be required to be activated during all traffic stops, AP reports. Officers who fire their weapons would have to explain within reason why the fired each shot. There is also planned training for officers and court employees in recognizing unconscious stereotyping and a diversity plan to attract new officers.

No word on how much this new initiative will cost the city but Ferguson spokesman, Jeff Small, told AP that while the cost will be “significant,” voters would be allowed to consider two ballot measures to help decide how to cover the cost.

“We’re not just going to negotiate and say, ‘Boom. This is what you have to live with as a community,” Small said.

Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, noted that the city should be proud of the negotiation that was reached on their behalf.

“The entire Ferguson community has reason to be proud,” Gupta said in a letter to Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III. 

She added that once the proposal is enacted it will “ensure that police and court services in Ferguson are provided in a manner that fully promotes public safety, respects the fundamental rights of all Ferguson residents, and makes policing in Ferguson safer and more rewarding for officers.”

Read more at the Associated Press. 

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