Department of Justice finds racially biased policing in Ferguson

Dept. Of Justice Report Reveals Racist Policing Practices In Fergson, Missouri

It’s no shock the the Ferguson police department

Via USAToday

A Justice Department review has found that Missouri’s troubled Ferguson Police Department engaged in a broad pattern of racially biased enforcement that permeated the city’s justice system, including the use of unreasonable force against African American suspects, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the findings.

In 88% of cases in which Ferguson police documented the use of force, for example, that force was used against African Americans, according to the official who is not authorized to comment publicly. In addition, in all 14 canine bite incidents in which the suspect’s race is known, the person bitten was African American.

African Americans account for 67% of the population in Ferguson, but they accounted for 85% of the drivers stopped by police, 90% of the people issued tickets and 93% of the people arrested, a three-year examination of suspect stops found. When those cases reached the Municipal Court, authorities collected more fines for suspects’ failure to appear than any other charge, mostly from the city’s poorest and most vulnerable residents.

African Americans were more than twice as likely than white drivers to be searched during vehicle stops, but 26% less likely to have contraband, the review found.

The Ferguson Police Department often charged its black residents with petty crimes. African Americans accounted for 95% of the people charged with walking in the street and 92% of people charged with disturbing the peace.

93%?!?! SMMFH.

Image via AP