NATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION APPLAUDS THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS OF UNLAWFUL POLICING IN THE CITY OF FERGUSON WASHINGTON, DC – The National Bar Association applauds U.S. Attorney General Eric Holders announcement that the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into allegations of unlawful policing by the City of Ferguson. In addition, Attorney General Holder announced the Community Oriented Policing Services Office has launched a Collaborative Reform Initiative with the St. Louis County Police Department. President Meanes says she is pleased with the announcement although she and other prominent civil rights leaders believe that the Department of Justice’s investigation of the Ferguson Police Department was long overdue. President Meanes went on to say that “the African American citizens of Ferguson have routinely been subjected to investigatory stops without reasonable suspicion or probable cause. “Those stops have resulted in unconstitutional detentions and searches. The pattern or practice investigation will look at whether officers of the Ferguson Police Department have engaged in systemic violations of the Constitution or federal law. Specifically, the investigation will focus on the Ferguson Police Department’s use of force, including deadly force; stops, searches and arrests; discriminatory policing; and treatment of detainees inside Ferguson’s city jail by Ferguson police officers. The department will consider all relevant information, particularly the efforts that FPD has undertaken to ensure compliance with federal law, and the experiences and views of the community. The Department of Justice sent 40 FBI Agents to Ferguson to interview witnesses of the shooting of Michael Brown and to get statements on their general experiences with the Ferguson police department. President Meanes believes that as many as 200 witnesses were interviewed. She went on to say that “it is reasonable to conclude that they’ve already discovered possible patterns and practices of unconstitutional behavior by the Ferguson Police Department. Where you find patterns and practices of unconstitutional behavior by a police department, it raises questions of whether the police department has the ability to police itself and stop the unconstitutional behaviors. The National Bar Association would like to see the DOJ launch similar investigations in the 25 cities we are sending Open Records Request. To address widespread the epidemic of police misconduct, the NBA demands the following: It is mandatory for police officers to wear body monitors and any violation of this requirement will result in automatic suspension and/or termination; An Early Warning System be developed and implemented to identify officers who are prone to emotional instability or behavior problems; Review of Use of Deadly Force Policies; Additional and mandatory training; Independent Investigation Units be created to investigate police shootings; and Mandatory reporting of incidents by race. For example, the lack of police training has led to the following incidents and/or statistics in the state of Texas, one of the states the NBA is focusing on: Dallas is at the top of the list of police misconduct stats in the South, along with Houston, San Antonio and Irving Dallas ranked #11 in the highest police misconduct rates, ranking higher than all of Orange County, California. Dallas ranked second nationally in police misconduct incidents, behind #1 New Orleans. Since 2001, over 60 unarmed black men have been killed by Dallas Police Department We are happy to see a DOJ Investigation of the Ferguson Police Department. We will see if you can shoot an unarmed teenager with his hands in the air in broad daylight in front the numerous witnesses and get away with it. President Meanes indicated that the NBA will not allow it to happen without fighting against it and demanding change. # ABOUT THE NATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION The National Bar Association was founded in 1925 and is the nations oldest and largest national network of predominantly African-American attorneys and judges. It represents the interests of approximately 60,000 lawyers, judges, law professors and law students.The NBA is organized around 23 substantive law sections, 9 divisions, 12 regions and 80 affiliate chapters throughout the United States and around the world. For more information, visit: nationalbar.org Copyright © 2014 National Bar Association, All rights reserved. D.C. Media Our mailing address is: National Bar Association 1225 11th Street Northwest, Washington, DC Washington, DC 20001 Add us to your address book update subscription preferences
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 22:59:27 +0000
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