The civil rights division of the DOJ met with Ferguson residents to get their stories of police harassment and whatever else in order to open an investigation into the Ferguson police force. You know, because apparently the cops in Ferguson hate minorities or something:
SPRINGFIELD NEWS LEADER – At least 300 people crammed into a room at St. Louis Community College’s Florissant Valley campus for the meeting hosted by the department’s Civil Rights Division. The investigators were seeking direct input from residents who live in and near Ferguson.
“We go in and we try to figure out: ‘Is (misconduct) happening? Is it a pattern? Is it violating the constitution? And most importantly, how do we fix it?'” said Christy Lopez, deputy counsel of the Civil Rights Division.
There was no public comment period, but tables were set up for people to share their concerns privately with DOJ officials. And investigators got an earful.
Brandon Smith, 28, told investigators he moved away from Ferguson four years ago because he was constantly harassed. He said he was once cited for “manner of walking in roadway” and jailed on $1,000 bond for the misdemeanor. He said he posted bond and never got the money back.
Yolanda Lanns, 43, said her family was at a store where a disturbance broke out. Police assumed her husband was part of the fracas “because he was black,” used a stun gun on him three times and took him to jail, Lanns said. She said he had nothing to do with the fight.
Joyce Washington, 55, of neighboring Cool Valley, said all three of her adults sons have been pulled over repeatedly in Ferguson.
“It’s just because they’re young, black men,” Washington said. “Now they won’t drive through Ferguson. I want to know why our children have to take alternative routes to get to our destinations.”
Ferguson, with 21,000 residents, is two-thirds black, but only three of the 53 police officers are black.
The department’s investigation of Ferguson police is focused on whether officers there use excessive force; whether constitutional rights of some residents are violated by traffic stops, searches and arrests; and if police engage in discriminatory practices.
This kind of witch hunt in Ferguson is simply going to do more damage to police/community relations and make it harder for Ferguson police officers to do their job. And it’s probably exactly what Eric Holder wants. Ugh. I’ll be so glad when he is gone.