Now Reading
DOJ Investigation into Ferguson PD Finds Racism and Constitutional Violations

DOJ Investigation into Ferguson PD Finds Racism and Constitutional Violations

An investigation by the Department of Justice has found that the Ferguson police department engaged in a years-long pattern of racial discrimination against members of the black community, who of regularly had their constitutional rights violated. The numbers from the new report are staggering. From The New York Times: “Over the past two years, African-Americans—who make up about two-thirds of the city’s population—accounted for 85 percent of traffic stops, 90 percent of citations, 93 percent of arrests and 88 percent of cases in which the police used force. Black motorists were twice as likely as whites to be searched but were less likely to be found in possession of contraband.”

The investigation has uncovered a pattern of discriminatory practices from police officers including making traffic stops without justification, the regular use of excessive physical force and even racist statements and “jokes” found in email conversations between officers. One such email said President Obama would not be president for long because “what black man holds a steady job for four years.”

The federal inquiry into the police department kicked off following the shooting of unarmed teen Michael Brown this summer. The officer who killed Brown was not indicted. The shooting sparked weeks of confrontations between protestors—and some rioters—and police. If city officials do not seek a settlement with the DOJ following the release of the report, they could face a lawsuit …

View Comments (4)

Leave a Reply

© 2023 RELEVANT Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Scroll To Top

You’re reading our ad-supported experience

For our premium ad-free experience, including exclusive podcasts, issues and more, subscribe to

Plans start as low as $2.50/mo