U.S. Justice Department Report on the Ferguson Police Department

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TABLE OF CONTENTS I. REPORT SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 1 II. BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................. 6 III. FERGUSON LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED ON GENERATING REVENUE ............................................................................................... 9 IV. FERGUSON LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES VIOLATE THE LAW AND UNDERMINE COMMUNITY TRUST, ESPECIALLY AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS .................................................................................................................... 15 A. Ferguson’s Police Practices ............................................................................................ 15 1. FPD Engages in a Pattern of Unconstitutional Stops and Arrests in Violation of the Fourth Amendment ..................................................................................... 16 2. FPD Engages in a Pattern of First Amendment Violations .................................. 24 3. FPD Engages in a Pattern of Excessive Force in Violation of the Fourth Amendment ........................................................................................................... 28 B. Ferguson’s Municipal Court Practices ........................................................................... 42 1. Court Practices Impose Substantial and Unnecessary Barriers to the Challenge or Resolution of Municipal Code Violations ....................................... 43 2. The Court Imposes Unduly Harsh Penalties for Missed Payments or Appearances .......................................................................................................... 54 C. Ferguson Law Enforcement Practices Disproportionately Harm Ferguson’s African-American Residents and Are Driven in Part by Racial Bias ............................ 62 1. Ferguson’s Law Enforcement Actions Impose a Disparate Impact on African Americans that Violates Federal Law ................................................................... 63 2. Ferguson’s Law Enforcement Practices Are Motivated in Part by Discriminatory Intent in Violation of the Fourteenth Amendment and Other Federal Laws ......................................................................................................... 70 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 .................................................................................................. 79 1. Ferguson’s Unlawful Police and Court Practices Have Led to Distrust and Resentment Among Many in Ferguson ................................................................ 79 2. FPD’s Exercise of Discretion, Even When Lawful, Often Undermines Community Trust and Public Safety ..................................................................... 81 3. FPD’s Failure to Respond to Complaints of Officer Misconduct Further Erodes Community Trust ...................................................................................... 82 4. FPD’s Lack of Community Engagement Increases the Likelihood of Discriminatory Policing and Damages Public Trust ............................................. 86 i
5. Ferguson’s Lack of a Diverse Police Force Further Undermines Community Trust ...................................................................................................................... 88 V. CHANGES NECESSARY TO REMEDY FERGUSON’S UNLAWFUL LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES AND REPAIR COMMUNITY TRUST ................. 90 VI. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................ 102 ii
Page 1: Investigation of the Ferguson Polic
Page 5 and 6: Ferguson’s law enforcement practi
Page 7 and 8: payment such as community service.
Page 9 and 10: einforces the harm of discriminator
Page 11 and 12: Because the overwhelming majority o
Page 13 and 14: was budgeted. Nonetheless, for fisc
Page 15 and 16: continue to be “productive” in
Page 17 and 18: supervisors, the Patrol Captain exp
Page 19 and 20: do so by state law, it collects no
Page 21 and 22: Lieutenant: Bus Patron: Lieutenant:
Page 23 and 24: esidence. Later that day, the two m
Page 25 and 26: person for Failure to Comply. The o
Page 27 and 28: from their field training officers.
Page 29 and 30: Officers charged the two teenagers
Page 31 and 32: causing the protesters to run. Vide
Page 33 and 34: officer or witness trooper. The wom
Page 35 and 36: canine officer, responded to the ho
Page 37 and 38: his pant leg and, he said, almost c
Page 39 and 40: case concerning use of force agains
Page 41 and 42: stunned with an ECW in the classroo
Page 43 and 44: Order 499.00. They are to be used t
Page 45 and 46: B. Ferguson’s Municipal Court Pra
Page 47 and 48: Prosecuting Attorney does when an a
Page 49 and 50: a person has appeared in court but
Page 51 and 52: member in FPD custody, but were not
Page 53 and 54:
court. Nonetheless, despite the ack
Page 55 and 56:
of people arrive after 4:30 p.m. bu
Page 57 and 58:
defendant, “everyone says [they]
Page 59 and 60:
While issuing municipal warrants ag
Page 61 and 62:
(noting that the state court had fa
Page 63 and 64:
fact that the court will typically
Page 65 and 66:
fine to avoid bond forfeiture, he o
Page 67 and 68:
FPD’s vehicle stops are of Africa
Page 69 and 70:
disparities is statistically signif
Page 71 and 72:
. Disparate Impact of Court Practic
Page 73 and 74:
unnecessarily disparately impact an
Page 75 and 76:
We have discovered evidence of raci
Page 77 and 78:
Mamaroneck, 462 F. Supp. 2d 520, 55
Page 79 and 80:
d. Historical Background Until the
Page 81 and 82:
Similarly, City officials have not
Page 83 and 84:
verbal abuse by FPD officers during
Page 85 and 86:
Comply) and had his vehicle towed a
Page 87 and 88:
commander’s email regarding the i
Page 89 and 90:
several subsequent complaints, incl
Page 91 and 92:
Canfield Green when FPD was more co
Page 93 and 94:
V. CHANGES NECESSARY TO REMEDY FERG
Page 95 and 96:
Constitution and department policy,
Page 97 and 98:
6. Change Response to Students to A
Page 99 and 100:
c. Implement validated pre-employme
Page 101 and 102:
3) A person’s right to challenge
Page 103 and 104:
defendants taking their case to tri
Page 105:
12. Close Cases that Remain on the
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U.S. Justice Department Report on the Ferguson Police Department

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