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Experts: Ferguson Must Move Quickly to Rebuild Public Trust

Published

11 years ago

March 6, 2015

Gina Gowdy joins protesters on the street outside a Ferguson, Mo., fire station, Wednesday, March 4, 2015, in Ferguson. The Justice Department on Wednesday cleared a white former Ferguson police officer in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black 18-year-old, but also issued a scathing report calling for sweeping changes in city law enforcement practices it called discriminatory and unconstitutional. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

JIM SALTER, Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The federal government’s withering report on the Ferguson Police Department issued a stern mandate to city leaders: Reform your law-enforcement practices and rebuild relations with the black community.

It won’t be swift or simple, particularly if the same police chief is in charge and many of the same officers are on the beat. Some residents and civic leaders want to see wholesale changes in leadership or even complete dissolution of the department.

At the very least, experts said Thursday, Ferguson must move quickly, and publicly, to prove it is serious about regaining public trust.

The Justice Department on Wednesday cleared Darren Wilson, the white former Ferguson officer who shot Michael Brown, of federal civil rights charges in the death of the 18-year-old, who was black and unarmed.

But a separate report released simultaneously found patterns of racial profiling, bigotry and profit-driven law enforcement and court practices in the St. Louis County suburb that has come to represent the tension between minorities and American police nationwide. Most of Ferguson’s police officers and city leaders are white, but two-thirds of the 21,000 residents are black.

Meanwhile, attorneys for Brown’s parents on Thursday announced plans for a wrongful-death lawsuit against the city and Wilson. They did not say specifically when the complaint would be filed. Brown’s parents attended the news conference announcing the case but did not speak or take questions.

Attorney Anthony Gray said the lawsuit will offer a “more accurate picture” of the fatal confrontation between Brown and the officer.

“He had other options to him,” Gray said of Wilson. “He chose deadly force as his option.” Gray called that choice “unreasonable and unnecessary.”

The Justice Department found that black drivers were more than twice as likely as others to be searched during routine traffic stops. Minority residents bear the burden of fines and court costs expected to generate $3 million this fiscal year. Black residents were more likely to face excessive force from police, often during unwarranted stops.

Police Chief Tom Jackson, in a reply to a texted interview request, said only, “I’m still looking into this report.” Messages seeking comment from Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III and attorneys for Wilson were not returned.

The report also included seven racially tinged emails that did not result in punishment. Knowles said Wednesday that three employees were responsible for those emails. One was fired Wednesday, and the other two are on administrative leave pending an investigation, he said.

The report spurred calls from some for St. Louis County or another municipality to take over the department. Others urged Jackson to resign, or for the city to fire him.

“The chief has no credibility,” said state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, a Democrat who represents Ferguson. “How in the world did the chief of police not know that there was an undercurrent of racism that existed in his police department?”

Other political leaders were more measured in their assessment but still pressed for improvements.

“Facts exposed in the Department of Justice’s report on the Ferguson Police Department are deeply disturbing and demonstrate the urgent need for the reforms I have called for, some of which the General Assembly is now considering, including reforms to municipal courts,” Gov. Jay Nixon said in a statement.

Criminology experts aren’t sure change is possible without new leadership, but they agreed the city must move quickly in response.

“Every hour that goes by without them doing something solidifies in the minds of people in Ferguson and elsewhere that they either don’t know what they’re doing or that they’re dismissive of the DOJ report,” said Remy Cross, a criminology and sociology professor at Webster University in suburban St. Louis.

Jens David Ohlin, law professor at the Cornell Law School in Ithaca, New York, said it is vital for Ferguson leaders to embrace the findings, rather than become defensive.

“The smartest thing for them to do is to commit themselves publicly to reforming their policing and judicial practices and tell the community and the rest of the country that they are grateful to the Justice Department, and they are going to make changes as quickly as possible,” Ohlin said.

At a brief news conference Wednesday, the mayor tried to show that Ferguson is serious about reform, saying the city has been working for some time to find more black officers. Only four of the current 54 commissioned officers are black.

Ferguson has also empaneled a civilian review board to consider complaints against officers and launched an “Explorer” program in a local school district, aiming to interest young people in law-enforcement careers, the mayor said.

Back in September, the city council passed a law capping municipal court revenues at 15 percent of the overall budget and made changes to ease court cost and fee burdens.

Those efforts weren’t enough for the Rev. Al Sharpton, the chief eulogist at Brown’s funeral. He said Knowles’ remarks were “mostly evasive, insignificant and showed a total failure to address the need for a change in leadership at the police department.”

___

Associated Press Writer Jim Suhr in St. Louis contributed to this report.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

Published

6 days ago

January 2, 2026

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2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember Lori Wilson — Advocate for Equity, the Environment, and More

Her rise has also included several historic firsts: she is the only Black woman ever appointed to lead the influential Assembly Transportation Committee, and the first freshman legislator elected Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. She has also been a vocal advocate for vulnerable communities, becoming the first California legislator to publicly discuss being the parent of a transgender child — an act of visibility that has helped advanced representation at a time when political tensions related to social issues and culture have intensified.

Published

1 week ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City). File photo.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) joined the California Legislature in 2022 after making history as Solano County’s first Black female mayor, bringing with her a track record of fiscal discipline, community investment, and inclusive leadership.

She represents the state’s 11th Assembly District, which spans Solano County and portions of Contra Costa and Sacramento Counties.

California Black Media spoke with Wilson about her successes and disappointments this year and her outlook for 2026.

What stands out as your most important achievement this year?

Getting SB 237 passed in the Assembly. I had the opportunity to co-lead a diverse workgroup of colleagues, spanning a wide range of ideological perspectives on environmental issues.

How did your leadership contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians this year?

The Black Caucus concentrated on the Road to Repair package and prioritized passing a crucial bill that remained incomplete during my time as chair, which establishes a process for identifying descendants of enslaved people for benefit eligibility.

What frustrated you the most this year?

The lack of progress made on getting Prop 4 funds allocated to socially disadvantaged farmers. This delay has real consequences. These farmers have been waiting for essential support that was promised. Watching the process stall, despite the clear need and clear intent of the voters, has been deeply frustrating and reinforces how much work remains to make our systems more responsive and equitable.

What inspired you the most this year?

The resilience of Californians persists despite the unprecedented attacks from the federal government. Watching people stay engaged, hopeful, and determined reminded me why this work matters and why we must continue to protect the rights of every community in our state.

What is one lesson you learned this year that will inform your decision-making next year?

As a legislator, I have the authority to demand answers to my questions — and accept nothing less. That clarity has strengthened my approach to oversight and accountability.

In one word, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians are facing currently?

Affordability and access to quality educational opportunities.

What is the goal you want to achieve most in 2026?

Advance my legislative agenda despite a complex budget environment. The needs across our communities are real, and even in a tight fiscal year, I’m committed to moving forward policies that strengthen safety, expand opportunity, and improve quality of life for the people I represent.

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2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, Champion of Reparations, Housing and Workers’ Rights

In 2025, McKinnor pushed forward legislation on renters’ protections, re-entry programs, reparations legislation, and efforts to support Inglewood Unified School District. She spoke with California Black Media about the past year and her work. Here are her responses.

Published

1 week ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood). File photo.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr., California Black Media

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) represents

California’s 61st Assembly District.

As a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC),

McKinnor was elected in 2022. She chairs the Los Angeles County Legislative Delegation and leads the Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee. McKinnor also served as a civic engagement director, managed political campaigns, and worked as chief of staff for former Assemblymembers Steven Bradford and Autumn Burke.

Looking back on 2025, what do you see as your biggest win?

Assembly Bill (AB) 628. If rent is $3,000, people should at least have a stove and a refrigerator. It’s ridiculous that people were renting without basic appliances.

I’m also proud that I was able to secure $8.4 million in the state budget for people coming home from incarceration. That includes the Homecoming Project, the menopause program for incarcerated women, and the Justice Leaders Program.

How did your leadership help make life better for Black Californians this year?

After the Eaton Fire, I pushed to get the same kind of support for affected areas that wealthier regions get after disasters.

I also did a lot of work building political power— establishing the Black Legacy PAC and California for All of Us PAC so we could support Black candidates and educate voters. We also called voters to make sure they understood Prop 50.

People need to understand this: there are only 12 Black legislators in the Capitol. Folks act like we can just walk in and pass reparations, but that’s not how it works.

What frustrated you most this year?

The governor did not have the political will to sign these bills: AB 57 and AB 62. They both passed overwhelmingly in the Assembly and the Senate. We did the work. The only person who didn’t have the political will to sign them was the governor.

The public needs to ask the governor why he didn’t sign the bills. We can’t keep letting people off the hook. He has to answer.

I also introduced AB 51 — the bill to eliminate interest payments on Inglewood Unified School District’s long-standing state loan — held in the Appropriations Committee. That was frustrating,

What inspired you most in 2025?

The civil rights trip to Alabama was life changing. We visited the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. We took members of the Black, Latino, Jewish, and API caucuses with us. It changed all of us.

People aren’t always against us — they just don’t know our history.

What’s one lesson from 2025 that will shape how you approach decisions next year?

The legislative trip to Norway taught me that collaboration matters. Government, labor, and industry sit down together there. They don’t make villains. Everybody doesn’t get everything they want, but they solve problems.

What’s the biggest challenge facing Black Californians in one word?

Inequity. It shows up in housing, wealth, stress – all these things.

What’s the number one goal you want to accomplish in 2026?

Bringing back AB 57 and AB 62, and securing money for the Inglewood Unified loan interest forgiveness.