US Justice Dept finds racial bias in Ferguson police practices
Updated: 2015-03-05 10:13
(Agencies)
|
|||||||||
WASHINGTON - The US Justice Department has concluded that the Ferguson, Missouri, police department routinely engages in racially biased practices, a law enforcement official familiar with the department's findings said on Tuesday.
The investigation into the police department began in August after the shooting of unarmed African-American teen Michael Brown by a white police officer in Ferguson sparked national protests.
Analysis of more than 35,000 pages of police records found racist comments from officers as well as statistics that showed African-Americans make up 93 percent of arrests while accounting for only 67 percent of the population in Ferguson, the official said.
African-Americans also made up most of incidents in which officers used force and all incidents where police dogs bit citizens, said the official, who asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the investigation.
Nationwide protests of police actions that resulted in deaths of African Americans in Ferguson, New York and Cleveland laid bare racial tensions and what President Barack Obama called "simmering distrust" between police and communities.
The findings are expected to be formally released as early as Wednesday, a Justice Department spokeswoman said. The department will use the findings to negotiate policy changes with Ferguson officials and enter a consent decree, or to sue the city to force change.
- US preparing to sue Ferguson police over charges of racial bias
- US Justice Department said ready to clear Ferguson officer
- Officer kills armed 18-year-old in suburb near Ferguson
- Ferguson topic of Asian-American talk
- Obama seeking for $263 mln for federal response to Ferguson issue
- Overseas criticism pours in on Ferguson
- Seven things you may not know about Lantern Festival
- Top 10 destinations for Chinese tourists
- Floods displace over 2,000 in Brazil
- New sports cars debut Geneva motor show
- People celebrate upcoming Lantern Festival across China
- Chinese investors take bite of Big Apple
- Intl Hair Freezing Contest winners announced
- Volcano Villarrica erupts in southern Chile
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Annual legislative and political advisory sessions |
Spring Festival trends reflect a changing China |
Patent applications lead the world |
BC lures Chinese tourists |
Festival Special: Apps that make holiday shopping easier |
Alibaba places China smartphone business bet with $590m Meizu deal |
Today's Top News
China faces 'formidable challenges', says Li
GDP target drops to 7%
US ambassador to S.Korea attacked
China defends military items on ship
China refutes US concern over security
China could pass US in electric-car market: expert
China's defense budget to rise about 10%
Netanyahu assails Iran-nuclear talks
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |