DOJ Investigation Finds Pattern of Racial Bias Among Ferguson Police
The Washington Post has details on the Justice Department’s investigation into racial bias among Ferguson police and other municipal officials, and the bottom line is exactly what most of us suspected: Justice Dept. Review Finds Pattern of Racial Bias Among Ferguson Police.
As part of its findings, the Justice Department concluded that African Americans accounted for 85 percent of all people stopped by Ferguson police officers and 90 percent of all citations issued.
The Justice Department plans to release evidence this week of racial bias found in e-mails written by Ferguson police and municipal court officials. A November 2008 e-mail, for instance, stated that President Obama could not be president for very long because “what black man holds a steady job for four years.”
The Justice Department did not identify who wrote this and other racist e-mails and whom they were sent to. Officials at the department spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the review and its findings before a planned release this week.
The review concludes that racial bias and a focus on generating revenue over public safety have a profound effect on Ferguson police and court practices and routinely violate the Constitution and federal law.
Another disgusting email from #Ferguson police joked that a black woman got an abortion and later received a check from Crimestoppers.
— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) March 3, 2015