The Results Are In: Racism Is Present in The Ferguson Police Department

Meanwhile, in the sky is blue, grass is green, and water is wet news, the Department of Justice’s investigation of the Ferguson Police Department confirmed the presence of racial bias within the department.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder discusses the findings in this video.

“These policing practices disproportionately harm African American residents.”

“Our view of the evidence found no alternative explanation for the disproportionate impact on African Americans other than implicit or explicit, racial bias; no other basis.”

“Use of dogs by Ferguson Police appears to have been exclusively reserved for African Americans. In every case in which Ferguson police records recorded the race of a person bit by a police dog, that person was African American.”

“Although some community perception of Michael Brown’s tragic death may not have been accurate, the widespread conditions that these perceptions were based upon, and the climate that gave rise to them, were all too real.”

—Attorney General Eric Holder

Racism = Prejudice + Power

Sometimes it can be easy for some folks to attempt to absolve themselves of any responsibility in being complicit with institutionally racist systems.

But you know what makes systems run? Individuals. With each example, Attorney General Holder highlights how individuals with racially prejudiced lenses used the powers bestowed to them by the state to perpetuate racism.

But it’s not just the people, it’s the policies too. The findings in this report are an indictment to the system. Ferguson PD is out of order and the entire criminal injustice system is out of order.

Depending on who you’re talking to, some say it’s working exactly as it was designed to.

Read the full report below:

DOJ: Ferguson Police report

Ubuntu,

From Aspiring Humanitarian, Relando Thompkins, MSW, LLMSW

—————————————————————————————————————————

(N.A.H.) is advertisement-free and reader supported. If you enjoy my notes, consider supporting (N.A.H.) with a one-time donation or by becoming a monthly patron.

—————————————————————————————————————————