The Ferguson article was very informative. I did not know that cities had to write up proposals. In terms of the criminal justice system I do agree that they should have a warrant before seizing any personal items of yours. In my understanding of the article the police officers in Ferguson were not abiding the criminal justice system like they should. They were more focused on the money and budgets than actually helping or solving the crimes at hand. The community policing section is what really stood out for me. Officers are supposed to serve and protect the citizens, so making them have several meetings to ear trust between the citizens and officers so incidents like Ferguson do not happen again or in reality as much as they do. All in all I like the agreement for the most part and I think it suits what the justice system should be about. Extreme456
I agree with the police having a search warrant before seizing any type of personal property. If I where to live there and I get either pulled over or even if I was a suspect in a crime I would not let the police just come through my door or car because of suspicious activity. The Criminal Justice System should of dealt with situations a long time ago when the time was right because it probably would of been a better community and citizens would've trusted the police system a little bit more instead of being afraid the police where going to take them out also. DaBulls456
I agree with your statement that law enforcement in Ferguson were not behaving the way the criminal justice system intended them too. A lot of their actions were to bring in more money, and now they put their city in a bad financial spot. The proposal trying to be passed will put a lot of financial strain on the city, and one has to wonder if the officers are slightly to blame for that. Piglet456
I agree with your statement the officers in ferguson were not abiding by the criminal justice system correctly. I think that if in the fist place they were this situation could have played out differently. -dicaprio789
I agree that the police officers of Ferguson wasn't going by the right rules they should have been going by. I do also agree with that the police officers, should have a warrant before they stop some one, or do a terry stop. I feel the same, that police officers should protect and sever, as they swear to do.
It is refreshing to see so many people agreeing that the amount of police force being used in Ferguson is slightly excessive. Of course, we do not know all the facts - from either side: the law enforcement officers, nor the daily lives of the civilians. The one thing we can guarantee is that, in these situations, everybody is very timid and things are very fragile. We cannot give too much power to either party. Finding the right thing to do after these incidents happen is nearly impossible, which is why we should be making sure all officers across the nation are following their oaths - taking preventative action rather than reactionary. JimHalpert012
I find it very frightening when this much action is required to comply with what has been the law for many, many decades. Will we have to do this in every metropolitan city? Ferguson is not a major US city. How can this happen? I was having a recent conversation with a young lady, and we were discussing how much different the opportunities for African Americans in Atlanta as compared to the Peoria area. She wasn't as appalled by the differences I see between two places that are not that far apart. I lived in Atlanta for 6 years. I met many people from many different backgrounds and I loved the feeling of an equal city. It made me feel very different; I felt like a possibility for change was fresh. Then I see what has unfolded over the last 2 years, and I am ashamed. To even be from the area where this was allowed to occur. After the "Do No Harm" top 15 list, this is changing the stage. Social unrest will continue to boil over, as it has for the last 50 years. I still believe we are capable of being better humans, and then we just keep doing these awful things. It is sad that we are all here with conflict instead of nurturing and caring for others. I have to believe we can do the right thing. OICU8 012
I almost feel that by trying to fix the what they consider went wrong, they will be going too far the other way. I obviously haven't read the full proposal, but to not given a ticket to someone because they can't pay for it? What about don't do the crime if you can't afford the fine? Granted I do believe there are a lot of broken parts to our system, especially when it comes to equality and opportunity. There is a lot of crime in poverty, but it never seems to occur to the people in power to help get them out of poverty, and maybe they will be less likely to get into trouble. There was something in there about meeting with the citizens and helping youth. I hope that is seriously focused on. I don't look at this as a who did what wrong or who did the worst offense, but instead, I look at it and think, who is going to be involved in making it better? Those are the people that really want to make their town a better, more well-rounded community. I also couldn't help but notice the comment about the $350,000. Basically he said it's their own faults. This is an ignorant statement in my opinion. It's not encouraging and doesn't make me see that person as someone who is willing to forgive and move forward. That amount of money could affect your city. The one that is trying to improve. I can see how it seems that the Justice Department is trying to make a statement out of Ferguson. If it gets us in the right direction then that might not be such a bad thing. It has to start some where. Purple012
I agree with you about the section in the agreement where the officers won't give out tickets to someone because they can't pay for it makes no sense. I think the police department was too aggressive in trying to stop some of the rioting in Ferguson City but where do you draw the line. When do police officers stop policing the people and why should criminals get away with crimes. The article we read had good ideas and bad ideas. I hope the citizens of Ferguson City can come up with an agreement that works for everyone. It will be hard to do. Hadrosaur012
I too agree that some of the tactics used by the police against protesters and rioters were excessive. We also need to keep in mind though that this is not something these officers were used to dealing with. Im sure if they could go back they would chage alot of the things that they did. But , this is the way it was handled and hopefully alot of people learned from the things that went on. Crown012
I agree with your first statement very much! One step forward and two steps back in my eyes. I do believe that if you commit a crime, you should not get "off the hook" because you cannot afford it. On the other hand, I do not agree with you about crime and poverty. I believe that the wealthy commit just as many, if not more crimes than the poor. The wealthy can just get out of things much easier because money makes the world go round. I do not think the town will come up with a solution that everyone will be happy with, but I do hope they can come up with a solution that is fair for all involved. Storm012
Agreed we have to start somewhere. Here's the thing though, this kind of action has been taken part in our country sense the founding. Oppression, racisms officials and people in positions of authority taking advantage of things. The thing is it seems like we never learn, everything just evolves and adapts to the present time, if you truly think about it. It is one never ending circle of man vs man, man vs self and ultimately man vs society as a whole, its a constant struggle. MuayThaiGuy012
I agree with you about how the justice department is supposed to serve and protect. By making raising taxes for more support for the justice department it putts further strain on the people instinctively making the crime rate go up making more need for more resources toward the justice department. It like the bodies positive feedback loop. TAGTaylor33012
Who are the city and Department of Justice's elected leaders? Are they a diverse enough group to really make the best decisions for the public in Ferguson City? The citizens have a very short time to go over and give feedback on a 131-page decree. I don't believe this decision should be hastily made. The poorer community and the African American community seems to be the most affected by the events in Ferguson City. This article suggests that the agreement "has the potential to cripple the city financially." Who is this agreement really helping? Doesn't sound like it has the publics best interests in mind. Even though there will be a public hearing, if the council doesn't agree to the conditions there is still the possibility of a costly lawsuit from the Department of Justice. Where will Ferguson City get the money to pay for that? The suggested ideas are costly ones. Paying for a monitor and increasing taxes will hurt everyone in my opinion. I don't understand the part where the agreement would take away the police's right to give a ticket to someone violating the law because they can't afford it. Maybe I misunderstood because I do agree with the police not being able to collect on warrants and payments on fines just to increase revenue. I do think the part of the agreement where officers and residents would have programs where they interact with each other in a positive situation is a good idea. I think that would build relationships and a better sense of community. I really hope the city leaders and Department of Justice will listen to the residents of Ferguson City. I think the citizens should have a say about what is best for their community and not be dictated too from a higher power. In return the citizen should act like a community and think if their actions would help or hurt the situation they are in. Hadrosaur012
Ferguson is an extremely engrossing case to me, because there is no way of knowing for certain what occurred that evening. It is clear that changes need to be made to ensure the safety of all, and to be sure that the police officers were not taking advantage of their power. With that being said, I do not believe the new proposal they have scripted out is the way to go. I do believe video and audio recording devices on all emergency vehicles would be a very intelligent thing in which to invest. I do not, however, believe that not ticketing or arresting someone guilty of a crime because they are unable to pay or afford bail is an improvement to the already current laws. Ferguson took two steps back, one step forward and another step back in my opinion. They are not listening to the community enough, and I do not believe they are going about this the correct way at all. Storm012
I agree with your stance on the part about not fining somebody because they couldn't afford it, but everything else in this report from what the article stated was very good and fair. This is a step in the right direction but as tie progresses the city will learn what works and what doesn't work. For now, this report will have to do. Its not perfect, but it is a good starting point for ferguson.
I agree with your statement about the relationship between affordability and being punished for wrong doing. All of us are expected to abide by the law of the land, rich or poor should not matter. Having said that, we don’t know exactly what happened in Ferguson, but I understand that police have a difficult job do sometimes their life is in danger. I empathize for them, but that should not be taken as granted to misuse their authority. I’m struggling bit to understand in this case. Chichi012
The law is the law. It is written and made for a reason. No matter if you're poor or rich you do the crime you do the time. People do not tend to think about the consequences during or before doing a crime. The police forceis not the only problem in Ferguson but social media makes it seem that way. es some police officers are corrupt but the also do have a tough job and he citizens going against them instead of helping to regain thier city, does not help at all.
I have no doubt that the Ferguson police and court system were doing somes that would be seen as unethical or wrong. I have no doubt that whatever comes from this proposal will correct alot of the corruption that appears to have been going on. I think the changes that they will make will prevent something of this magnitude happeneing again, but it isn't going to make everyone happy, and the first time some police officer does something that could be considered even a little out of line, the people are going to call for his head. I really hope the Justice Department's reprimanding of the police department doesn't give the people of the community a sense of supoiriority over the police officers. They still need to respect them and do as they say when they become involved with them, otherwise they wont have made any progress. And for the officers, i hope that they don't become to cautious to do their job. They can't be too scared to make a necessary move because they're afraid of the repercussions. I believe the extra training that they will be receiving should help in that regard. Crown012
I agree I think that the police force from Ferguson understands that they went about this the wrong way and I believe that they will find a way in this proposal to correct a lot of those. I think that it was an important move for the police force to make.-Bengals012
Yes, I agree. It really is a balance. We need police and communities working together. People need to be held accountable and so do the police. I hope some type of balance comes from this. I try to be optimistic and think that lots of lessons have been learned by many through the course of everything in last 18 months. Purple012
I am glad that i read this I feel like I was able to gain quite a bit of information from this article. I didn't know that specific cities were aloud to write up their own rules or laws. I believe that the police force understands that they may not have handled things in the best way they could have and now they are trying to correct the mistake or mistakes that they have made. I do believe that this whole situation was a beneficial learning experience on how situations like these need to be handled by the police force in the future.-Bengals012
I am glad that i read this I feel like I was able to gain quite a bit of information from this article. I didn't know that specific cities were aloud to write up their own rules or laws. I believe that the police force understands that they may not have handled things in the best way they could have and now they are trying to correct the mistake or mistakes that they have made. I do believe that this whole situation was a beneficial learning experience on how situations like these need to be handled by the police force in the future. This is also a good learning experience for people on the outside looking in to see these mistakes and not make similar ones in different forces.-Bengals012
That is one of the biggest things i've seen with thi situation. At first the police seemed to be oblivious to what they were doing and felt they were in the right. The public pressure must have forced them to recognize their shortfalls and made them recognize something had to be done.-Pasta012
In Ferguson, Missouri tensions have been high for quite a while in a very public way. The recent proposal by officials may be the beginning step in starting to lower the intensity and unjust treatment of the city’s financially lower class and helping the community to move forward and move past previous shortfalls. The effect of the proposal could go either very well or backfire if they show a lack of willingness to follow through. However with the public pressure to continue the process and honor the proposal, only ignorance and stupidity would give the officials reason to back down after a deal was reached to mitigate the anger and frustration from the public. The agreements to honor basic human rights and decency when police interact with the public and on their written reports are necessary and without those things it will all fall apart. You can’t say you are equal and held to the same standard when you don’t back it up with actions. –Pasta012
This is what is hard to distinguish. Certain actions simply seem to be followed through with a ‘by any means necessary’ predicate. If St. Louis is infamous for their hardline reputation of holding people as long as they are allowed without probable cause does that mean that Ferguson is just the tip of the iceberg? I never heard anything about the surrounding areas during the time this event took place, it was always just about Ferguson. An officer makes this fatal error and protests spread like crashing waves, passing from the community to across the nation. The property taxes will be an issue that will probably get overlooked if the proposal is passed. Since this area is already in poverty I believe the economic crisis there will only worsen. I agree that Ferguson will be in the news very soon in this coming week, regardless of the proposal’s decision. - StrongArm789
This article was interesting and informative to me because I didn't know quite a few of the laws here that were being broke by the police. I didn't know that they could not take your personal property without a search warrant as when they spoke of them taking the high dollar filmakers camera. I agree that something has to happen for change. The residents there need to feel protected and know that the police are their to do so not worry about being discriminated against. The thing is how far do they go before going to far? I agree on the whole body cam thing as I have seen that popping up everywhere and it seems to be working in most cases, but the police also have to be able to arm themselves for the criminals that are out there to endanger the public or police. Most people probally don't but I agree no need to pull them over for a warrant, at least for awhile to see how it goes or they get this straightened out. The police know where you live and with technology the way it is most of the time they know where you are anyways, so track them down there. Leave traffic for traffic. Also when they do get them for the ticket, only charge them once not double jeoporady on the same ticket so it ends up being outrageous for lets say speeding. Maybe they should also be asking for getting money from the government to help with the costs so their not using the public as their only revenue. I'm not sure how far too far is but whats been being done in the past didn't work, so any type of reform or restructure is a start. Deacon012
I found this article to be very informative. Something that stood out to me, was how much this article focused on financial things. This article states that this proposal has the ability to cripple the city financially, however is this proposal gets rejected the city will be facing a lawsuit from the justice system. There is a lot of focus on what might have to be done to cut cost and to bring it more money, for instance the April ballot already has two new tax increases to bring in more profit. On the flip side, the Ferguson fire department, may for its own district, saving Ferguson roughly $2.2million annually. Although the city is facing tough financial times, I think that there will be some good things to come if this proposal is passed. Police officers will be required to meet with members of the community to build their trust, officers will be required to wear body cameras at all times, and there are new guidelines for the officers, giving them specifics on when the use of firearms in okay. Over all I think this article was very interesting. Piglet456
I agree with you on many good things could come out of this proposal. It will be very expensive but in the long run could be very well worth it. The officers interacting with the public is a major part of the proposal. Due to the events in the past they need to rebuild their relationships with citizens. dragons789
I agree with you one the catch 22 with the whole situation. The proposal could be accepted and then a bunch of money is going to be needed to fund the major changes or if they reject the proposal the city gets sued and that could be a big financial loss for the city as well. I think at least reforming is the better way to go because it will work to grow ties to the community and bring back community policing. If they say no and try to fight the lawuit it could grow more tensions in the community and the negative views towards police and the city of Ferguson could get worse as a result of the rejection of the proposal. Birdman123
This article was very interesting to me. My favorite part was how when Clay said that if Ferguson would have acted in a manner that abided by the constitution and laws of Missouri they wouldn't be in this predicament. I completely agree with that as well. It is not a race thing, that stuff happens everyday. Every race, just an unfortunate thing to happen. No one really knows the truth of what happened that day besides Officer Darren Wilson. Whether or not he was telling the truth is beyond us. I just think that that much havoc and protesting over one life was too much. I think the situation probably could have been handled a little bit better but it's what happened. Moving onto the cost of this whole operation they have planned is outrageous. They should probably work on that little bit. I know they already are and they have found a couple of solutions that I found out from the article which is good. But taking it out of the taxpayers pocket is not always a good solution. Not many people are going to agree with that if you ask me. They will probably get pretty mad about this and that will create a new problem. Will it ever be able to be solved? Maybe, maybe not. It's all a part of life. ICCRunner789
I feel like Brown's death, although tragic, was an excuse to unleash. The town went wild. Yes, there were some people who truly cared for Mr. Brown and protested solely on that, but others let a lifetime of racism come from this. Not only do people blame the Ferguson police for being racist but now everything that officers do is out of racism. It set off a whole wave of people just leaping on. Aside from these two groups you also had the people who just wanted to riot. The people that broke into stores and stole televisions "for Michael Brown". No, it wasn't for Mr. Brown. It was an excuse to join in the chaos. -Leilani789
I think that Brown’s shooting was a wakeup call to some people to step up and say that the police have been doing something wrong for a while and it needs to stop. The problem is that not everyone had the same idea; there were a lot of people that thought burning down the city was a good idea or causing a riot was productive. Those people that used violence to solve the situation didn’t really want to solve anything and the people that had something to say fell behind the wall of the mob and were muffled by the sounds of violence. Birdman789
This article really makes you look at the police department as a whole in Ferguson and not just the one officer. The whole police department is at fault for any wrong doings in the past. Most everything mentioned in the article was very fair. The police department should practice more community policing and have more transparency with the community. I didn't really agree with The part where it talked about considering a person financial situation before giving them a fine. That just seems like something that would make the police department seem weak and just want to be your friend. There is a line with being your friend and doing a job correctly. The parts mentioned in the article and video about the report seem fine but the part about the fine is just crossing the line a bit. This report however is a giant step in the right direction for reforming not only the ferguson police department but others around the nation.
I agree with you on the part where you said better community policing and having more transparency because unless your doing something wrong why wouldn't you. That would also help the people of Ferguson start trusting them again. I don't necessarily disagree with you on the part of considering a personal financial situation, but think I interpreted differently. If I remember right (which maybe I don't)I think before that was going on the thing they were doing was like charging them insane money for something that should have been a simple fine, and different people were getting charged different amounts for the same thing. I think they proved their were people who were getting charged several times for the same incident, while others committing the exact same crime weren't paying anything...so the dept. could make money. I think if your caught speeding it should be a flat ticket with certain amount of time to pay no matter who you are. Deacon012
I also don’t believe that the financial situation a person is in should affect whether or not they are fined, and I don’t think it will work for long. I know that I cannot afford a ticket right now, so I don’t speed or break any laws; I can’t help but think that this will make people feel like it’s okay to break laws if they can’t pay for the repercussions. I agree that it was a step in the right direction to write this agreement, but I don’t agree that it was a huge step, because I think revisions will still need to be made in order to fully restore the relationship between the police force and the citizens of Ferguson. Blues456
I agree with the original poster, and the first comment on the subject of community policing. A community should be protected by their police force. I also agree with the original poster about her stance on the "too friendly" issue. The purpose of the agreement was to make the law system in Ferguson 'just' again, not to exclude the residents in Ferguson from basic federal laws. -Jakku012
This article was both interesting and informative. I think these change could lead to both some positive and negative things. A negative thing that could happen is the cost. The cost of all the changes such as body cams and cameras in police cars are not cheap. Also it said that officers will go through extensive amount of training so they can adapt to the changes. That will require some money so they can make sure the officer get the proper training. They are raising the taxes to be able to afford these changes and that could leave a lot of citizens unhappy. But the changes could also lead to some positive outcomes such as better relationships between the police department and citizens. The article says that police officers will attend numerous small meetings to foster trust between residents and establish various long-term programs to interact with the city’s youths. This could greatly improve the relationship between police officers and citizens and help prevent similar events from happening. dragons789
There are certainly unforeseen consequences of any government program. The costs you outlined would most likely be such unforeseen results of the Ferguson concessions. From the Sociological perspective of social conflict, I can see this possibly creating another conflict when it comes to taxing poor groups more than those who are better financially endowed. The city officials will have to very careful in the way they institute these new taxes to avoid such a conflict. - Jung012
The article was very interesting. From the sociological perspective of social conflict, the actions in Ferguson could be interpreted as a division of groups within the city and possible within other areas of the United States. If officer Wilson did, indeed, unjustly attack Brown out of malice or his conceived superiority, it could be due to his race or social standing. Officer Wilson may have viewed Brown as a lesser person and, therefore, acted upon his biases and racism when given the opportunity. The courts may also have been part of the capitalist machine. As the article said, they operated “primarily uses its judicial authority as the means to compel the payment of fines and fees that advance the city’s financial interests.” The protests would, again, be consistent with this perspective as they were an example of the proletariat class revolting against the bourgeois police force. Finally, the concessions made by the city of Ferguson was the result of this revolution. Further restrictions and monitoring of the police force as well as the “new board and committee to oversee the community policing plan” would serve to avoid future incidents and protests. – Jung012
We reviewed what happened in Ferguson a lot during Crim. 110 last semester, going into detail on our term paper about community policing. The details in this proposal are pricey, but I think the outcome will be good. Ferguson police have given police as a whole a bad name in the past year, and I think working in the heart of Ferguson to train their officers and better equip them to handle the community will yield positive outcomes. The article said that upon research, Ferguson's police force was not the worst known, but after all of the attention it got recently I think it's great that they are working out how to grow from this. If this new proposal goes down well it could be beneficiary to the officers, the citizens, and the community as a whole. -Leilani789
From a sociological perspective, you could view the Brown case as a racial attack solely as many do. Many people across the world protested and attacked the Ferguson police department for their racism. It was said that whites had the apprehend in the community even though the community was predominately african american. I believe that this new proposal will benefit the Ferguson community and help them to come to an agreement with officers there. Not only will the citizen be more comfortable but officers will be put through more extensive training and be able to understand, empathize, and relate to the citizens of Ferguson better. In a community like Ferguson you need to build a strong relationship amongst officers and citizens so that they can work forward from the rough year they have trudged through. -Leilani012
The work of the proposal I think will do many great think including the 50 hours of more training. And I do agree that with the training the ability for the community and the officers can begin to get better over time it won’t be over night though. Jfl123
I agree. The law enforcement needs to train there cops on how society is different today then what they want to think. I mean the law enforcement might have their own opinion but they need to realize that society, culture, and environment are completely different now. It is a good thing that they are building a stronger relationship with the community. BlackHawks012
This article talks about how Ferguson messed up and how it is still feeling the effect of it. The three main points it went in to detail were the protest response, community policing and municipal court. Before I speak about those I would like to speak on the best two lines in the entire article. The first one was one of the last sentences. And it said that before the shooting of Michael Brown Ferguson was not apart of the top five worst police departments. Think about that for a minute. And the second was if Ferguson abided by the Constitution and laws of the state there would have been absolutely not problem. A lesson that was a teaching moment not for Ferguson but the rest of the country. The police used uncostinitional force to protect themselves from any type of protest, which is a huge problem. Another thing that the police did was holding a person for 20 hours max for calling them wanted and not having a warrant, and lastly the community policing was not working because of the lack of any solid police work. Jfl789
This is a really great comment. I completely agree with you that this should be a step forward in the right direction and not a step backward. I think that its weird that Ferguson was not apart of the top five worst police departments. Godzilla789
Its about time the law enforcement in Ferguson did something with the community and did it the right way. Citizens of that town don't want to be accused of something every time they get pulled over or walking down the street. They don't want to have another innocent like the Micheal Brown case again. Even if they did again which should never happen again. Building a relationship with the community is the right path to trust the citizens and the police. It will be a positive influence on children so that they don't have to be afraid of cops or being accused of something that they didn't do or be dragged downtown. It's still the 21st century and society is changing on a whole new level. Everything will be better if the law enforcement and the community can agree on something that everyone can handle and understand. Overall the article is inspiring. It shows that a community is making a difference. BlackHawks012
I agree with you, I feel like they need to get the citizens trust back so Ferguson can be a better place.I feel like if they treat the citizens better it would make the people of Ferguson feel better. Neverson012
It was an interesting article to read, but I don’t think that the police were specifically targeting a certain race when doing their job. It could be true that there were a few officers who targeted African Americans over a certain race or since the majority of residents in Ferguson are African American. The probability of a crime involving an African American is more because there are just more people. Now if it was a predominantly white city and African Americans were being arrested more, then I could see some targeting by police. Another thing I saw that caught my attention was how they are going to pay to make all the changes for the city. With the costs of body cameras and other things they are doing to change the police and the courts, it will cost a lot of money and paying for it with taxes is just going make people angry because the amount they pay for taxes will go up. Birdman123
I most certainly agree with your statement saying that they're not specifically targeting blacks; that's just what the majority of the population is in Ferguson. I also agree with you that it would be prejudiced if, in a predominantly white city, blacks were being pulled over and/or arrested more. However that isn't the case with Ferguson.
I also agree with you that the cost of the things the city is wanting to add can be a bit excessive. I know, for one, if the taxes in my town were to go up for a few unneeded "necessities" I wouldn't be too happy about it. Gators123
It will be interesting to see the changes that are going to take place in Ferguson and maybe some of those changes will be implemented in other departments around the country. The one big thing that Ferguson has to deal with is the cost of changing the courts and the police departments. With the changes, there will be the rise in taxes to help pay for them, in doing so it will make a lot of people unhappy. With having police use body cameras and take classes in community policing, it should help a lot in creating a better relationship with the community. The body cameras could tell parts of the story that the officer may have forgotten and it can give citizens a view of what really happened in a controversial decision to really see if the officer did the right thing or now; with the officers taking classes to improve relations, it could form stronger relations between the officers and the community they are there to protect. Birdman789
I think the system will work. The changes that have been made are for the people of Ferguson and they know that. Hopefully they aren't still seeking revenge on law officers for what happened in the riots. I also believe the body cams will help officers and citizens out. KLICK789
From a criminal law perspective, it's honestly about time the law enforcement of Ferguson try to find a reason to build a relationship with the community. The justice department should retrain or train the rookies on what to and not to do when they are in a position with someone of the same or different race as them if the victim is doing any criminal activity. I don't think they want another innocent like the Micheal Brown case and be accused of racism again. Even though they should of done something about their cops along time ago but it's better late than never. It is a good thing that the Justice Department is retraining their law enforcement because it will probably benefit in the long wrong and maybe teach them how to stand their ground a little bit more. Over all this article was an eye opener. DaBulls456
This is a great comment. I definitely agree that it is great the justice department is retraining people. Honestly a lot of police need to be retrained or given more training due to incidents like this. The world is changing in so many ways and their training should accommodate that.
I agree there has been a skewed idea of what can be done and what is legal. The city of Ferguson has seen just that, retraining officer's are a great idea! The only thing is, how will they do this? Money is tight and is going to get tighter with these restrictions. Ferguson needs to have the LEO's reflect their community more so than having officers who do not live their be in control of their city. This is a step in the right direction with having new guidelines to allow the citizens to feel more at ease with their PD. Palmdaddy789
I would have to agree with this. Its just going to take awhile for them to fix the Ferguson, no matter the man power or knowledge behind them. I can see more cases like Mr. Browns happening because that's what the media is trying to find. They don't show how in the crime rate going down, rather how the small things that keep it. ICCRunner 789
I think the agreement will benefit the people of Ferguson.One thing I didn't like was that the citizens have to pay for the cameras and mics.I feel like they shouldn't have to come out of pocket.Its not the citizens fault about what happened,it was the responsibility of the police.I think they should have them though. Neverson012
I think that the police of Ferguson acted inappropriately to the entire situation, but I'm not sure that some of the points in the agreement are necessarily right either. I do not believe that it will impact the police force positively; body cameras, not fining those who can't pay, and constantly being watched will make the police force too afraid to do their jobs, while threats of the police force responding like this again, and how this agreement will affect their own pockets will make the citizens afraid to live their own lives. However, the article quotes Representative William Clay as saying, “… if they had acted in a manner that abided by the constitution and the state of Missouri, they would not be in this situation,” and I agree with this. If they had not gone to the extreme that they had, this whole situation would have ended differently. Blues456
This article was very interesting and informative. It can be directly related to the basic principle of Marxism. Clearly in the city of Ferguson and the surrounding towns of St. Louis, there is a social wall separating the wealthy and the poor. With this new system the city is pushing for, it gives the community and the people in it a fair and just system of justice. The system is looking to weed out and rid some of the corruption in the justice department of the St. Louis area, starting with the court system and the police departments. The hopes of this new system are very optimistic, yet they leave plenty of room for mistreatment. I only hope that if this were to be instituted, people need to still respect authority of the law officials as well as vice versa or the system will continue to stay broken. If one part of society still holds on to a false consciousness of responsibility and place in society, it will effect the way the societal groups or classes look at and act towards one another. This idea is very encouraging but one can only hope that it will turn out fair for all. Bullsnation012.
I do wish this video went on longer to tell us more. It was quite interesting because I did not know about the agreement. I think the so called "agreement" was a little unfair to the people. It was unfair in the fact that their ability to pay would effect their chance at justice. I do however agree that it is important that Ferguson's law enforcement be enforced. The people of Ferguson took things too far and now will have to earn back what they destroyed. Good video tho it will be interesting to see what happens with this case. VT012
My favorite part of the article was the end of it. And I am not saying I was glad it was over. It was because of the mention of this not only being a problem in Ferguson. John Ammann said that Ferguson doesn't even make it into the top five cities with the worst operation of municipal courts, and that if the Justice Department was coming down this hard on Ferguson, that it needs to in other cities as well. I agree with this whole heartily because there is a huge gap in the justice system where the line of wrong and right should be. Citizens should not have to feel as if they are walking a tight rope every time there is law enforcement involved. I find the agreement important because of certain additives. The two that stuck in my mind were: not being able to retain property without a warrant, and the body cams to be worn at all times. The warrants are important and a basic federal law. This should not have to be reminded to the cops of Ferguson, seeing it holds true nation wide. My little sister (7) who constantly watches Criminal Minds knows that you can't take something from someone without permission or a warrant. Maybe it seems like common sense to outsiders, or maybe an officer should know the things he learned during his schooling and training. The body cams are important for protection of the cops and citizens. They will benefit both sides of the parties and maybe put a little more truth into the stories, since there will be UNDESTROYED/UNRETAINED footage of what happens. Cops are not above the law. They are there to enforce the law, not make new ones...and I think the cops in Ferguson forgot where to draw that line. Hopefully this agreement refines the Justice System in that town. -Jakku012
I agree with you, its crazy that Fergusons Municipal Courts aren't even the worst in the country yet it had the biggest impact. I believe this new system will change the way police do their jobs and that will hopefully bring peace for the police and community. KLICK012
I completely agree. This was just more publicly addressed, so they are trying to cover it to appease the people. The whole country needs to look at how police officers are treating the ones they pull over or are arresting. Just because someone broke the law doesn't mean human rights go out the window.Marley012
This article is detailed and informative. But some of the proposal like providing officers with training to effectively and ethically police seems like a common sense and the police should have had that training and been following that training already. On the other hand, appointing independent monitor to review the situation seem like a balanced and good idea. I also think that bringing youth in the community and police together to have better understanding each other’s situation will diffuse some tension. I am not sure if adding more red-tape and process around how to police will be a productive option. I think that introducing more processes will be counterproductive to effective policing. At the end, what is important is to make sure both police and community understands each other’s role and see themselves from other’s shoes. – chichi012
I think it is sad that all of this had to happen. If the police were doing their jobs the right way none of this would have happened. The department is having to build community trust that I don't think will be there for a very long time. Sir Robert Peels beliefs and ideas were not being used in Ferguson, Missouri. The complaint process the article made will hopefully stop the police harassment in Ferguson. I feel like the complaints might get exaggerated by the community to benefit themselves. I'm really looking forward to seeing what this new system is going to do for Ferguson and its Police Officers. KLICK789
I agree, I don't think there will be much "peace" for long. This issue is a racial heavy one. Its not something that just goes away with new polices. I feel like a lot of racial things are exaggerated these days whether they are right or not. I guess the minorities of this country still feel repressed which can result in all this racial tension and exploitation. The bad cops need to get out of here, but the bad cops are peanuts, in comparison with all the good cops. Stories like these give way to bad of a rep to cops now a days. Music 456
I agree with yo 100% if the police would have been doing their jobs right in the first place none of this would have taken place. I also agree there won't be peace for a long time, but at least its a start. hopefully things will start to change. -dicaprio789
I think that the Ferguson police need to go back to community policing to establish ties with the community. From what I have read and things I have heard about the department is that they have a negative outlook in the community. A lot of police departments are having these same problems and there should definently be a change soon. Birdman789
The sociological view of this whole situation to me would be that the social norms of the society were broken a long time ago when the police were abusing their authority. The racial divide between the police and the community is also one of the problems. the officers and the community aren't making very good connections when they meet. If the officer would try to understand the victim or suspect and try to understand why they are doing the things they are doing and maybe try to help them change those things. That's what community policing is, making good connections with the community and by doing that the trust will be built. KLICK012
This is very accurate the norms were broken from the beginning which is very bad for relations. I think its very important that the police officers in the community need to understand the people they say they are "protecting". The police cant think that they are above the law they are just citizens of the community like you and me. Godzilla012
I agree, but at the end of the day police aren't trying to sit down and figure out why certain people are doing the things that they are doing. Yes, I also agree that trust has been broken a long time ago. I also believe that with great hands on with residents and police that the city can turn things around. Pinky012
“This wasn’t just about Ferguson,” he said. “Two years ago, had you asked us which were the five worst cities for the operation of their municipal courts, Ferguson wasn’t in the top five. So if the Justice Department is coming down this hard on Ferguson, it should be doing the same with these other cities too.” My opinion on this article is that the justice system shouldn't be pointing fingers at anyone. Even though other cities have and had the same problems of Ferguson. That doesn't mean the city needs to point the finger. Micheal Brown death will change a lot in St. Louis and I am hoping that it does get approved. By the police wearing body cams will save a lot of lives and give the public a peace of mind. No one is above the law and some people take advantage of it when the power gets handed over to them and I find that since will if it gets approved the police cannot retain property without a warrant is good. I know a lot of people from St. Louis have stuff taking from them and they wasn't even doing nothing wrong. BikeLife456
It is good that there has been a form of corrections added to Ferguson PD. though this is big for the community. I have had the opportunity to sit and listen to a panel of the Black Lives Matter movement and had the opportunity to ask questions about the issue from their daily lives. This article touches base on accountability for the officer's actions. The town itself is broken and the LEO's there have been getting away with a lot. The citizens can get their way with this, but issues will come back. Body cams look good on paper, but the cost and storage will probably be a clash with the city. Ferguson has a lot of hurt, I could go on for hours about the city and their economics, with that I am curious on how this all will play out. Palmdaddy789
Interesting to see that some sort of "treaty" is coming into place in Ferguson. Since the death of Micheal Brown, racial tensions have been very high. If the kid were white, would it have been different? Its hard to tell, but there has been a serious issue going on. I think people exploited the situation, and took things way too far. There is without a doubt justification for the family of Brown and the community to be upset. But, looting, violent riots, gun shots, beatings, attacking cops. This is all things that have gone way too far. Seeing that a compromise is in place will hopefully diminish the racial tension. I think its more of a racial issue than it is ethics and morals. Having body cameras on 24/7 I think should be everywhere. It would stop all the non-sense. Overall, I think its going to be an ever going issue with racial ties in Ferguson. Its something that still hasn't completely gone away with the abolishing of slavery. Music 456
I agree with you on questioning whether or not it would have been as big of a deal if it had been a white kid. I also feel as if though this is a racial issue that will more than likely never die out. It is an ongoing occurrence as well as a problem that needs to be dealt with in a different manor with different tactics and approaches. I feel as if though by making it mandatory for an officer to be wearing body cameras 24/7 may do similar situations justice as long as it is enforced and monitored. I also agree with you that this whole situation was blown way out of proportion not only on the media side of things but between the citizens of the community as well as the police officers of Ferguson. Sparks123
This article was very interesting, but not much of a shock for me. I knew the police in ferguson were not abiding by the criminal justice system correctly. Things have always seemed a little crooked to me to be honest. I'm glad they are finally getting into this situation. I do agree they should also have a warrant before seeing any items, especially personal. I think this ferguson thing has gone way too far, the violence has to stop, the police are to protect the people not stick guns in their faces. But also the people need to protest without violence, setting random businesses on fire, and luding. We all need a change and hopefully finally a change is coming. -dicaprio789
Looking at this through a sociological perspective the "social norms" here were broken and have been broken. The riots and the violence between the police and the citizens of Ferguson is not a normal social interaction. The police are supposed to be there to protect you, not to be against you. Its going to take a lot of time, and a lot of work before the citizens of Ferguson give their trust back into the police. I think the police themselves have a lot of work on. The whole department needs to be vamped up. A lot of the police officers were not following proper "police code" they need to use community policing a lot more. The police need to get involved with their communities and get to know the people again, and really get back into wha it means to be a police officers. You are a police officer for a reason, some police officers use their bias and their judgment for the upper hand. But to me thats not what being a police officer is about, its about being there for your community and to protect. This whole community was brought up in an uproar and its going to take some time to get back to what is deemed "normal" -dicaprio012
I agree this article was very interesting, for me it was an eye opener. To be honest I've never been in much trouble with the law so i guess i just feel like i can trust them and that there not out to get me or take advantage of me. I try not to be a conspiracy theorist and believe what the rumors but this video taught me that you cant always trust what the media says or what is widely believed to be true. After watching this video i feel that Ferguson police department was more of a business that wanted to make money off citizens than a police department there to protect. Unpredictable012
The events that took place in Ferguson were very tragic and should have never had happened. In this article there were a lot of good points that I was hoping to see. For instance, this new proposed agreement is a very good and uplifting thing taking place in Ferguson. It’s time that the department of justice in Ferguson stepped up to the plate and realized that what they were doing was not working. Their policing tactics were outdated, and inefficient as well as only causing more problems. After the incident between Wilson and Brown the people of Ferguson had enough and realized they needed to do something in order to voice their opinion. The lack of community policing throughout Ferguson was a big part of this. Most of the community only felt as if though the police were out to get them, there was no connection between the community and the officers. It said in the article that the agreement was going to enforce and monitor better police training towards less violent tactics in defusing a situation. I agree with this and feel as if though it will help out a lot. If the officers would have had better training in first place this series of unfortunate events would have been a lot less likely to have taken place. sparks123
First of all id liked to say that I’m happy things are changing in Ferguson for the better. Although corruption isn’t right I’m happy to hear the truth has come to the light. I say this because I’m sure this isn’t the only part of America were this is going on. I want other people to read this and start to ask more questions. Way to often we just allow things to be done without asking why, I feel like this is defiantly the case when it comes to law enforcement. As children we are taught that there are people in the world that have are best interest at heart and that we can trust them. I’m talking about teachers when were young were told not to talk back to them and that there here to help, so we begin to think there fair and that they wouldn’t take advantage of us this is the same case with law enforcement were taught that what they say goes, if they give you a command you do it, why? Because there supposedly here to help and protect us, I feel the Ferguson police department used this authority to take advantage of the people of Ferguson. Even I myself found myself thinking if someone just told me that the police were taking advantage of us everyday id say there crazy maybe call them a conspiracy theorist or something like that but after watching this video I feel that I should always ask questions and be aware. Unpredictable 012
This is a case that truly sparked a nationwide question regarding race relations as well as trust between a community and that of its police force. Ferguson became a prime example of a community that wanted to rise up and defend their rights, as well as their right to protest. Many riots and arsons occurred within days of the murder so police began to take action in their own hands. They began to suspect many as unlawful citizens, such as the statement of rifles being pointed towards crowds of protestors. It is hard to say that common sense should have been observed by both sides while things were heating up, but also as I can say, I’ve never been in such a situation, or ever near something of this magnitude. The decisions laid out by the Justice Department have many clear points that the police force should abide by. Wearing POV cameras at all times and obtaining warrants when seizing recordings will be crucial in eliminating circumstantial evidence. Instead all future evidence will be direct evidence, if need be. After reading this I strongly agree that the municipal court wasn’t acting with the intentions of protecting the community. It appears that the court needs reformed, especially since it is acting in a way that St. Louis is notorious for, arresting and holding people for 20 hours without a warrant for example. If all is approved on February 9th than perhaps the department will change for the better and slowly gain respect from the community that they have sworn to protect. The cost on property taxes alone may be difficult for many to adapt to but it’s an open-ended question on if it will be enough to ensure future safety for everyone. - StrongArm789
This document they have written is kind of ridiculous. I think it is a good idea that police vehicles has cameras and microphones so individual's has the knowledge of what goes on behind the scene. I agree that the residents had a right to be upset about it but they definitely did not react the correct way. Rioting looting killing people destroying stores is not something that should have happened. The document they created is trying to make the police and residents relationship stronger which you cant have a good community without proper police resident relationships. All the new advancements that the police are trying to reach is something that they should have had all along. I think Ferguson is a good example of what will happen when the police and residents don't have good relations. Not to mention that this new document has the ability to cripple their economic system which probably isn't doing too good anyway. Ferguson should be used as a learning step and not as a scar. We need to learn from the mistakes made and make a better future for this town. Godzilla789
I'm gonna have to again agree with Mr. Godzilla789. Cameras are a must. I believe action should've been taken against the cities way of government. Where were the high profile human rights activists before the shooting of Michael Brown? Unfortunately riots only hurt the town. Destroying ones own town accomplishes nothing. Given the amount of people outside of that town there protesting and the amount of destruction as a whole is another topic. Nothing in this article about the two police officers shot from long distance. One in the face, one in the shoulder. You don't shoot to warn/scare, you shoot to kill. Community policing: Man, i love this idea. I wonder if any of this was going on. If I ever get into TCSD or PCSD as a deputy I hope to have this opportunity to interact with the community. Especially its youth. I believe Ferguson will go in the books as a learning tool. Doberman789
Ferguson really needed to have something to get their police officers from using excessive force, that's obvious, but if they try to go with this proposal somethings should changed or looked over. The city needs to give the citizens more time to read all of those 131 pages, two weeks is not enough time to actually understand all of that information. Also, the money this proposal will need in the end is unbelievable. $350,000 for the city to keep control over the police departments and courts, then the people will be taxed about $1.5 million more a year on property tax to cover the courts and police departments. This doesn't seem fair, the people are being taxed more, because the officers don't know what line of work they're getting in to. Officers of the law should have to go through more extensive background checks and psychological testing before they are able to protect the public. Putting these weapons in the hands of people who have strong prejudices is not going to save anyone. Marley012
First of all, I consider this young man who lost his life as a fuse. A fuse on a bomb that is the city of Ferguson. This was years in the making. This community and outlining communities are polarized. Extremely polarized because of violations of civil rights and civil liberties. Mistrust has been mapped out due to unlawful practices in policing, improper profiling for revenue generation, and racial bias (implicit/explicit, thank you Dr. White). After watching the videos of Michael you could deduce that he was a troubled young man. All this could've been avoided with a strong family unit in place. A focus or goal. Michael was raised by his Grandmother. Parents are to cherish their children. Be dedicated to them and help them overcome diversity. Not show up when the cameras and body bags do. Give that a minute. (off the soapbox). Body Cams, Body Cams, Body Cams! I did a paper on body cams. I believe they are a great tool. Both as a way to chart/organize a shift. And to personally protect the officer and the individual who comes into contact with the officer. Its like a E.O.o.P. It works both ways. Biggest part of a L.E.O.'s kit should be respect. I for one would love to see this agreement that will be proposed. Ferguson almost has no other choice but to honor it. This needs to be fixed form the inside out. Higher ups have to be recycled. Why do these people get to keep their jobs? They project more money from increased citations as revenue. Who does that? Just so happens their citations keep increasing year to year by large percentages. And who is this 'monitor' and how do I get his job? This title will take home $350,000 for a years work. Someone to proctor the proctor? Ferguson is 6 square miles and has a population of 21,XXX people. $2.2 million annually is spent on fire services? Sounds like they should investigate that also. What blows my mind is Ferguson, MO. isn't in the top worst cities for this mess. In a city that is 67% Afro-American why are there 3 black cops and 50 white cops? This shows lack of diversity in the shop. I loved this article. Because it makes you ask the hard questions. Because it is an exercise in reading between the lines. Education->Cultural awareness->Respect->Cohesion->Unity->Peace->"One nation under God". Doberman789
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your comment, Doberman. I agree with you when saying that this event was just a ticking time bomb that finally went off. I also agree that it takes a strong family unit to effectively raise a child.
Body cams are great because they show exactly what happened; no one can make up excuses. They also are there for the safety of EVERYONE, not just the officer, not just the perpetrator.
I also agreed with you that Ferguson needs a clean slate when this proposal comes into effect. There needs to be new, non biased blood in the system. If the same problems continue to show up, maybe look at who is dealing with the issues. Gators123
I have very mixed feelings on this agreement in general. Some points are wonderful, and very plausible such as using recordings/video on all police and medics, or not allowing for guns or violence to be used unless other methods have been tried. I did not agree with dropping all charges before Jan. 2014, not ticketing those who can't afford it, or some of the other more radical views. It also did not make sense how the people only have TWO WEEKS to review a 100+ page agreement. That is certainly not enough time to make an educated decision. Either way, win or lose, Ferguson is going to be in a bit of trouble. Adjustments will need to be made to keep their economy afloat. I'm glad, though, that it brought to light the unfairness of court systems in the St.Louis area. This is not a new issue, and it's not selective to only Northern Missouri. All over the United States, unnecessary fines and tickets are issued to gain profit. The targets are those who are minorities and of lower socioeconomic status. Ferguson brought to light so many faults in our modern justice system, one of the main subjects being abuse of power. Police using excessive force, shooting when they could use other methods, saying something is "suspicious" when it's not.. Once again, all directed towards those who can do less about it. Those in power use their power to manipulate and abuse those below them. This needs to be stopped, and I think that the people of Ferguson are making it well known and publicized. -leafy012
From a sociological stand on this it doesn't surprise me at all that they reacted that way. The city and the residents have had a messed up relationship from the beginning. Humans can only take so much crap before they retaliate its been proven time and time again. The death of Michael brown was the light of the fuse and when the police officer got off that the breaking point for these people. These people are living in crap conditions and have been treated as such its no surprise they retaliated. This story also shows the impact that social media has on us. In the video it was saying how the department of justice was picking things that they wanted to see instead of the whole story. The media didn't try to help at all with the situation all they did was just add wood to the fire. Godzilla012
I completely agree with this. After toleration has been exhausted, the people were eventually bound to react. There is only so much injustice that can be tolerated. I liked how you referenced the video and I agree with what is being said here as well. If people just pick and choose certain things in reality to show a picture, rather than the whole story, everything turns to chaos. Bullsnation012
Contreras 12 while i was reading this article i find interesting fact about this case each states has different laws when this happening lot of people were not happy because they were discriminate a black person they should treat everyone equal it show that everyone should have opportunity
The article was very good, and informing. Something that stood to me was, that the article talk a lot about the finical with the city. Another thing I do agree with, is they should have a warrant before they stop somebody or conduct a terry stop. I do believe it will take the city some time to gain the police officers back, after the Brown case. I do think the city would feel more better, if the police officers have to wear body cams. But, police officers and the citizens of any town and city, all have a job to do. Police officers, protect and serve and citizens are to follow the law. I think that the citizens of Ferguson took the whole thing to far. People who had nothing to do with it were getting involved for no reason. But, overall in think that it was a good article, with a lot of valuable information.
I agree that they should have a warrant before taking any property or making a stop. And giving the officers body cams will help convict an officer of a crime/violent act easier. The people who came from outside of Ferguson should've stayed there instead of aiding the turmoil already going on. DeadMan456
I think this article was very imformative. The overall goal of the decree is to build community trust, increase transparency, and strengthen accountability. Karl Marx would've wanted this agreement to pass so the police officers and city officials wouldnot take advantage of the community. The fact that this document would be rejected or accepted on the 18 month anniversary of Michael Browns death was no accident. It would cost quite a bit of money to implement aND the public had little time to waste. If this proposal was rejected, the city risked a lawsuit from the justice department. Just for a monitor to oversee everything would cost $350,000 alone, in the first year. The city council and local firefighters did what they could to offset these costs. The problem was the court system in Ferguson itself. They primarily wanted to collect revenue and had no interest in public safety. Under this new agreement police officers would attend small meetings to foster trust between them and the residents. It would also require 50 annual service training hours for police officers. I think Marx would agree with these stipulations. I'd officer Wilson would've been wearing a body camera we would know all of the facts for this case. I think this agreement would allow the facts to be visible, as much as possible. These types of crimes happen all over the world, all of the time. Something needs to be done. dandelion012
From a Criminal Justice perspective I do believe that the police changes are fine. After reading that the police were threatening nonviolent protesters to send them to jail. I do think that it is wrong to even threaten a nonviolent person jail time. They are using jail as an excuse to scare people to get their way. It is good that they are getting change, that is if they do take the proposal. Also, they are changing the law to where a police officer must obtain a warrant before seizing recordings or reviewing the content of a recording device. Which is also a good thing to have because I don't see it being wrong to videotape a person doing their job. The person being videotaped might have a problem with it if they are doing their jobs wrong. -Ibanez789
I agree, scare tactics should not be used. The officers operating in Ferguson should use logic and discretion while dealing with the populace. Scare tactics will only cause discord between the public and the law enforcement agents that are supposed to keep them safe. Silverado789
There are 131 pages to this proposal. That is a lot of pages to read and review within two weeks. Some of these things that are going to change seem absurd. Like for an example, raising sales tax and property tax to gain 1.5 million dollars annually. Also, if I read this properly, cutting the fire department to save 2.2 million dollars annually. So this would mean that they would only have volunteer firefighters? If so, who would want to volunteer knowing that they cut the firefights off? What I also read was that this has a chance to cripple the city financially. Why would they even offer the city something with so much budget cuts that it can also have a possibility of crippling the financial stability? But if the city doesn't do anything about it they can be facing a lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department. Like I said in my last post, the police changes seem fine but the other changes I've been seeing just don't make much sense to me quite yet. -Ibanez012
I agree in full, that is a lot to read and the citizens are still figuring out what is going on. There also needs to be a broadening of the attention the people reforming all of the to make sure everything possible is up to date. There were a lot of things that in my professional opinion were left out. DwDrums789
All I know is that something needs to be done about all of the municipalities in the area down like the article said. If it was that bad in Ferguson and it wasn't even one of the top five worst cities, then there needs to be major change. The Justice Department is definitely doing their job looking into this and try to find a solution. But as the article said there are many things that have either not been discussed yet or still need to be discovered. The 2.2 million dollars for the fire department is a bit nuts and they should probably look into that as well. The whole situation down there is just simply put a basket case. Everyone is doing so many different things, going off of many different rules and standards. There needs to be a reform and not just for the police, but for the courts, fire departments and all of the municipalities as well. DwDrums789
I was so busy posting about all of the changes that I thought would be good for Ferguson that I forgot to mention anything about some of the downfalls or negative aspects of the agreement. Thank you for mentioning them in your post and reminding me of them. I also noticed that the article noted that this agreement has the "potential to cripple the city financially," which is definitely something that needs to be taken into consideration. I agree with you that some things need to be done in order to ensure a better future for the citizens of Ferguson and a better community overall, including the police. I am glad that the agreement discusses police officers having to have community meetings and implement some sort of program to be involved with the city's youth. Building trust and getting involved with people at a younger age seems to have more impact in their behavior in comparison to adulthood, so this is one important change that I think would be great for Ferguson and many other cities. Cards789
I think that whatever it takes to make the residents of Fergunson feel more comfortable with the department of justice should be taken into consideration. There has just been too much going on because there is no trust, and that goes both ways when it comes to the police and the residents. The proposal of officers having video cameras on them as they do stops should be taken into consideration it could actually protect both sides. Yes the article was very interesting and informative but the end of the day communication between residents and authorities need to take place. I'ts a start and it won't happen overnight. If they can work together and come together as a community they can really change things for the better. Pinky012
I agree completely with your statement, if they communicated better a lot of problems could be resolved. Hopefully the officers and residents will be open to listen to whats being said it could truly help bring back together this broken community. Believe012
I agree it won't happen overnight. Processes such as this one take a very long time to take any roots in the community. As an outsider you can only hope that the changes slowly start to show a fairness that the community is desperately wanting. Cameras are needed and should be mandated across the country in my opinion. Just not body cams. Nearly useless and expensive. Buckeyes123
I agree with what you had to say, if the people never trust the police department then nothing is going to change. Having body cameras on the officers will be a great idea because it will show what actually happens and not hear different stories. It will not happen overnight, but if they do it correctly then it will happen at some point. bamboo456
The video and article informed me of information that I was not aware of pertinent to Ferguson. Although many of us have heard many different things about Ferguson and seen some of the action occurring on the news, but this article helped to shed a more realistic light on Ferguson. After reading about the potential changes that would come with the agreement between the city and U.S. Justice Department, I am inclined to support the changes that would be made. The main focus of the agreement is to build community trust, increase transparency, and strengthen accountability. The article also mentioned that the decree would include things such as having to install cameras and microphones on cops and cop cars, the municipal court considering the ability to pay a fine before punishing a person, officers must have a warrant before seizing recordings or viewing contents of a recording device, and officers will also be required to have several meetings with the community to build trust and also implement long-term programs in order to interact with Ferguson's youth, just to name a few. After reading only a short summary of what the agreement would accomplish if passed, I believe that their approach to the actual issues within Ferguson are appropriate and that the changes being discussed within the agreement are changes that need to be made within the city. As we discussed in class, when states began to unfairly use the death penalty, they were no longer able to use it because they were found to be unjust in the decision-making. In like manner, when the police and municipal courts disappointed a majority of the city because of the Michael Brown case, they should be held responsible and persuaded to begin reformation of the system. Cards789
I agree, I think all the changes that they stated would only help with trust and the relationship between the police and the community. I also believe that there is going to have to be a lot more than just the things stated in the article to change the relationship in Ferguson. New rules and regulations only go so far. The citizens and the cops all need to start treating each other with equal respect, and that's the only way to start building a better community relationship with the police. dangkids123
This article was very informative. For the most part I thought that some of the problems in Ferguson had been resolved but that clearly is not the case, it seems like problems just continue to arise as they are being addressed. In the article it says that the justice system and the people of Ferguson are trying to find a compromise so that everyone is happy but I don’t really see it that way. What I got from the article is that there is a lot of trouble with money and neither of the groups seem to be happy with the situation. One part that caught my eye in the article is probably when one of the Reps. Said if they’d conducted themselves better manner they wouldn’t be in this positon that’s not verbatim what was in the article but I feel like this statement should go for either party. The justice department should act accordingly and not abuse the power that they have and the protesters should protest peacefully, but how do you do that when you’re afraid of the people that are supposed to protect you? How are you supposed to respond? I hope that this whole situation gets resolved and that either party can continue to grow together instead of separate. Believe012
This article was pretty straight forward. Its that people move to Ferguson City because it a good place to be in. But I dont' understand why the police department treat some people differently, for an example the criminal system targets the poor and the African Americans as the laddie said in the video. How can the place be such a good place when the police system over there treating those better than they should. In order for it to be better.The police department needs to be addressed. It might be an amazing place to be in but I think it need a lot of work to be better. Shakalaka012
I agree with you for the most part, but I think that when the police are in a area where most the people in that community are African American it is easy for every one to assume the police are targeting that race. I think that the police department may have a few bad apples, but it's hard to tell unless we are put in the situations them officers are day to day. GRUNT123
The video was very informative I agree that it was straight to the point. But the police sometimes can treat people differently with out even knowing it. Elite123
This video was very informative, I think that Ferguson has a long way to go with the rebuilding of the town and all the harm that came with everything that had happened. I also think that its going to take a long time for the police department to reestablish trust with the community again. I think the idea to pay less for certain fines is a great idea depending on the individual’s ability to pay the fines of things like speeding and parking tickets, most of the population in Ferguson are lower income people and not being able pay big fines could put them in jail or have to pay even more to the courts. So for Ferguson to look into ways to maybe make the fines somewhat cheaper is a great idea in my eyes. I think the road ahead for the police in Ferguson will be a long road ahead and I think the police department getting microphones and better cameras on the patrol cars will greatly help them in the future. GRUNT123
This is a story of government gone wrong rather than merely a law enforcement issue. The draft decree took months of negotiating to reach an agreement, but the city council will vote on this in two weeks. What is the rush? It may take that long to get copies, summaries and reviews in the hands of citizens for discussion. Since they are going to pay the cost of implementation, they should be given ample time for review and approval. Additional tax measures are planned, presumably to make up for the revenue the courts used to bring in. Given the city finance director had oversight of the courts is it any wonder it was a collection agency and not a “neutral arbiter” of individual rights? Neutral is not an adjective I would describe the current court system, with judicial activism in vogue with courts at all levels. Many levels of government were involved, but it seems no one was held accountable for the mistakes. Maybe one of the solutions is less government, not more. Humvee123
I honestly thought that all police vehicles had to have cameras and microphones in them to begin with. How this wasn't a thing to have done already in Ferguson is puzzling. When you have reports of police targeting the poor and racism to begin with before all this bad stuff happened, it would have seemed to be the logical step. Unless they didn't want to really see what the officers were doing in the first place and just kept themselves in the dark on purpose. I do think that giving people a fine that is actually payable to the amount of money they make is a good idea. Pending on what the crime was. If they did something very small then I'd agree a pay scale plan should be implemented. If they do a major crime or something that is serious but still a misdemeanor then it should be adjusted accordingly. Buckeyes123
I also agree that every police vehicle should have a camera and microphone because a lot of times its a what he said vs what she said argument. And yes they should of had those way before the Brown incident. I also agree that a fine should be implemented on individuals who commit some sort of crime to show them that it isn't okay for anyone to do it. Explorer123
I definitely agree that all cars and officers should have both video and sound equipment installed and running at all times. But the problem exists with having the necessary funds to implement these things and keep them running in every department and up to date with current software. Hopefully with the price of technology on the decline as better and better things are being made we can see it used a lot more. Acquainted123
We can clearly see that no one is perfect we all make mistakes and we will always make them. This is how we learn from them. We have to make a mistake to be able to learn how to do things the correct way. I feel that there were many things done wrong on both sides of the story and we will never know the real truth because we were not there. But this article was a great and interesting one to read I was able to clear up a few things for myself. Green123
This article was a very interesting read, and i learned a lot from it. The main goal of their proposal as stated in the reading is to: Build community trust, Increase transparency and Strengthen accountability. All of these I completely agree with. It also focuses on changing officer's actual daily functions. Wear working body cameras at all times. Don’t stop people only to check for warrants. Specifically articulate reasonable suspicion and probable cause when writing reports. I always think these are all great ideas as well. Having officers with body cameras that are working at every encounter will certainly clear up any doubt in how the incident actually went down. Their idea for not being able to stop someone just to check for warrants is very important in my opinion. Having this be a set rule will cut down on unnecessary altercations, and it will help with how officers are viewed by the public.Dangkids123
The community policing has been show to help both the community and police department. With the people being active in the community less crime tends to happen and the community feels safer. I think that ferguson would have a major advantage over other communities if they do pass this law and the officers will have more training when it comes to community policing. Instead of the little kids running away when they see the police maybe the kids will run up to them in a trusting way and look to the police for help instead of taking matters into their own hands. I believe that every troubled community or if not every community should have some type of community policing even if it is a neighbor hood watch. This is only the begging to making every community feel safer, it wont just happen over night the community needs to work together to keep the peace. Explorer123
Yes, i do believe that passing this law would benefit their community greatly. The more the community trusts the police officers the more likely they will go to the police than going vigilante. It will also give the police department more training by getting out into the community and bonding with the residents. DeadMan012
This article was an interesting one to read. I had mixed emotions while going through; I couldn’t decide whether I mainly agreed or disagreed with the statements that were being made.
I agreed with the fact that there should be body cameras on the officers (I believe it’s for their own safety and well-being). I also think that there needs to be some kind of warrant to take and interfere with a taping that may or may not have them in it; that’s still someone’s property. I also agreed with professor John Ammann when he said that this issue is not only about Ferguson and all cities should be accountable for their abuses of power.
I do, however, disagree with the fact that the law enforcement in that area is targeting the black community. The majority of the population in Ferguson is black, so race was quite unnecessary in this instance. I also disagree with the fact that now, since “a black unarmed teenager was shot and killed” (why does race ALWAYS have to be included?), the police force has to bend over backward to avoid any kind of scrutiny that someone may attempt to bring up. This is NOT how policing should be. Police are here to help keep citizens safe and make sure they return home every night.
I do believe that the cost of this proposal is quite excessive, being over $350,000 for just the first year. And while potentially saving $2.2 million annually if the fire department were to become a fire protection district, Ferguson would be in a world of hurt the first time someone needs the firefighters and they’re busy on another call. Gators123
This is a very interesting video Ferguson has been a topic on a lot of people minds for quite some time now. The proposal could be very good how ever there is a good chance it won't work out the way they are intending it to. I think ever since "Ferguson" happened Ferguson will always be labeled as a dangerous place to live or even be. With this proposal I do believe that they are lowering the harshness of how they treat there lower class citizens. The night that "Ferguson" happened I do believe that something had to be done, however the extremes they went to I don't think was necessary. The video to me was hard to follow I have never been a big fan of any news station however this one was very informative it gave us the points that we needed and no unnecessary garbage. Elite123
This video did a pretty good job explaining everything people have had questions about. Ferguson has has a lot of people worried about the community there and that is from the outside looking in as well. Although the damage has already been done there are ways things can be fixed. Building a strong relationship with the community between law enforcement and everyone else should really be priority number one. This whole situation has put a lot of suspicion and mistrust behind the police force, and while some of it is for good reason, I can guarantee that not every officer on that force has bad intentions. Body cameras for every officer is a great start and puts some fears to rest, but as it has been proven, recordings are not magical tools that fix all the problems, they aren't 100% effective and they come with a very hefty price-tag. Acquainted123
I agree. I think Ferguson officers and residents really are making a good effort at making the city great again. There is so much mistrust between the Officers and the citizens in which case its going to be a very long process. Its nice to see that people are working in the right direction to achieve this. gabegun123
Very informative video. It gives you a little behind the scenes of what is going on now. I like that Ferguson residents are starting to get together and are in the works of making Ferguson a great city again. They talked about some of the proposals that are being looked at and a few of them seemed to be very reasonable. The one I remember most was them talking about how they want to put cameras on all officers so they can keep track of what police are doing while on duty. This is a good proposal in many ways. First, its good because officers will be more aware of what they are doing and will act in a more professional manner. Second, it will make the people of Ferguson feel safe again because they will know that officers are being supervised. Many of the minority citizens that live there still feel unsafe in Ferguson so this could help put an end to that. gabegun123
I agree with the police having a search warrant before seizing any type of personal property. I also agree that not every police officer does not abide by their oath and guidelines, if this were so we'd be living in a perfect world and guess what we don't. So here's the deal, yes not every protester was being non violent, I mean we all saw the news reals and such, and yes I know the media wants us to see only what they want but you cant fake live news. Many of the protests in Ferguson were violent, when you have people starting fires, looting stores and getting into fights on the street, just because of the color of their skin or any reason at all is just not right. Granted it is hard to distinguish who is doing what and what is being done in a mob and the police may have did some questionable things, but in all reality I think rioting, yes rioting because that's what it was in many cases needs to be addressed. Not only to protect and serve innocent bystanders, but also the rioters and protesters as well. Now there are many different subjects to address in this case, plain and simple it never should have happened, and I'll leave on this question, who in their right mind would purpose an disbanding of a police department in such a clear powder keg? I wish their was one way we could all just coexist without problem. MuayThaiGuy012
This article was very informative giving information that I did not know. I do not think that it was fair for them only to give the residents a short amount of time to read the 131-page proposed consent decree between the city and the U.S Justice department. It does not come to a surprise that officers took advantage of what they had in Ferguson because most of the people there are poor and will not act out against officers. The cost of body cams on officers would be a great investment because I believe every officer should have one on. It allows people to see what actually went down in the situation by showing video evidence, so an officer cannot lie his way out. Also, giving out tickets to people cannot afford it makes them not go to the court hearing; therefore, they have an arrest warrant out for them making it worse. I think the agreement is a good thing, but it cost too much money that the city and the people cannot afford. I think that the people should have had a say in what the agreement said and not just given a short amount of time to look over it. bamboo456
I found this article to be quite informative. It is nice to see that they are taking action on this. And that they are covering everything within Ferguson's police department to end discrimination against African Americans. I do agree with the fact that the Ferguson officers did abuse their power by seizing recording equipment without a warrant to search. As the article said, Ferguson is not the worst city with racial tension, and they should also have the hammer brought down on them. DeadMan456
The reaction to this case was somewhat justified. I can say that if I was there I would be mad too. The officers were taking advantage of the financial situation the city was in to get arrest warrants on people for speeding tickets they couldn't pay for. However, some of the peoples responses to this were not right. They looted stores, set things on fire, and started fights. It was unnecessary violence that caused damages they had to pay for. The city is already poor and they then had to cover the damages plus paying for the POV cameras given to the officers. DeadMan012
What do you mean by the case was justified it was nowhere near justified. An inicent Black teen was gunned down by an cop and nothing was done to the cop.How was that justified.Just because he a black male doesnt mean he was armed or dangerous ( stereotyped). Also there were witnesses around saying brown wasn't in the wrong but they do not care about that. Also brown was shot 6 times twice in the head let get serious that was unnecessary Wilson went overboard and you know it.If this was your family member would ou feel like this case was justified.sshaylavon789
I remember some video on Facebook about this. There is a lot of information in this article it is a lot to take in all at once. I really wish the site was working one of the first two times I was trying to read it. The way I am taking this is that they are raising the taxes in a lower economic city. They are also adding new policies and on top of it all getting rid of the fire services which saves money but lowers the speed of fire response because instead of fire personal on duty at the fire station they would be volunteer at home so they have to get going then stop get the fire truck and get going again. You have to give them some credit though they get up in the middle of the night to help someone they don’t know not to get paid much if at all. So when fires happen the damage to the property is going to be greater because of slower response times putting more strain on the people. Further enforcing poverty. TAGTaylor33012
The proposal that the article brings forth is just, fair, and practical. There is a large amount of evidence that accuses the city and the county of policing to turn a profit. The media may have blown it out of proportion, but it is true and relevant. Police should not be used as a tool to generate revenue. This could give all police departments a bad name, or at the very least make people wary of the police. The city should raise money the logical way, by increasing taxes. The article states that the city proposed to raise taxes to combat this problem. The Ferguson officers should also be lectured on public relations and trained to deal with civilians in a calmer fashion. This is part of community policing; which Ferguson needs to focus on. I also understand the call for body cameras and the use of technology and training to recreate public confidence in the police. Overall Ferguson still has a ways to go before they will be able to claim the support of the public. Silverado789
OK this was a bit much to Indore at once. but i gain a lot of knowledge from it, even though some agree with and some stuff I do not. For an example they shouldn't be able to search your or your belongings without your permission or a warrant. Also have a legit reason to pull you over,not just because you an African American man driven a nice car. Ferguson is a jacked up city to stay in , since the death of Micheal Brown. I feel like if more of the residents in Ferguson would of stood up it could of been a change. That camera situation is going to be a joke, they going to have every excuse why the camera wasn't on. All we can do is leave it to the man above.shaylavon789
Very interesting article; even more interesting topic. I personally believe that it is very hard for us to judge exactly what is going on in Ferguson - simply because we do not live there, nor do we live in a society even close to there's. After taking many criminal justice courses, I have begun looking at news stories such as this through the lens of a law enforcer's prospective - however, if we look at the facts and photos of what is happening in Ferguson, it may be easier to argue the opposite way. Many of these law enforcement officer's are not properly trained with the military equipment that they are being given access to. For us to judge those living those in Ferguson simply based on photos of riots is ridiculous - it is almost as if we are reliving the past. In years leaving up to 1992, many Americans believed we didn't have a problem too - and then riots occurred proceeding the evidence and trails of Rodney King. These issues were un-faced until cold, hard evidence was provided; and even then, no police officer was found guilty. Now, I am not saying officers in Ferguson are guilty of any crimes - however, it is not right for us to assume we know everything that is truly going on. We cannot put ourselves in the shoes of those living in Ferguson. JimHalpert012
The Ferguson article was very informative. I did not know that cities had to write up proposals. In terms of the criminal justice system I do agree that they should have a warrant before seizing any personal items of yours. In my understanding of the article the police officers in Ferguson were not abiding the criminal justice system like they should. They were more focused on the money and budgets than actually helping or solving the crimes at hand. The community policing section is what really stood out for me. Officers are supposed to serve and protect the citizens, so making them have several meetings to ear trust between the citizens and officers so incidents like Ferguson do not happen again or in reality as much as they do. All in all I like the agreement for the most part and I think it suits what the justice system should be about.
ReplyDeleteExtreme456
I agree with the police having a search warrant before seizing any type of personal property. If I where to live there and I get either pulled over or even if I was a suspect in a crime I would not let the police just come through my door or car because of suspicious activity. The Criminal Justice System should of dealt with situations a long time ago when the time was right because it probably would of been a better community and citizens would've trusted the police system a little bit more instead of being afraid the police where going to take them out also. DaBulls456
DeleteI agree with your statement that law enforcement in Ferguson were not behaving the way the criminal justice system intended them too. A lot of their actions were to bring in more money, and now they put their city in a bad financial spot. The proposal trying to be passed will put a lot of financial strain on the city, and one has to wonder if the officers are slightly to blame for that. Piglet456
DeleteI agree with your statement the officers in ferguson were not abiding by the criminal justice system correctly. I think that if in the fist place they were this situation could have played out differently. -dicaprio789
DeleteI agree that the police officers of Ferguson wasn't going by the right rules they should have been going by. I do also agree with that the police officers, should have a warrant before they stop some one, or do a terry stop. I feel the same, that police officers should protect and sever, as they swear to do.
DeletePolice456
It is refreshing to see so many people agreeing that the amount of police force being used in Ferguson is slightly excessive. Of course, we do not know all the facts - from either side: the law enforcement officers, nor the daily lives of the civilians. The one thing we can guarantee is that, in these situations, everybody is very timid and things are very fragile. We cannot give too much power to either party. Finding the right thing to do after these incidents happen is nearly impossible, which is why we should be making sure all officers across the nation are following their oaths - taking preventative action rather than reactionary. JimHalpert012
DeleteI find it very frightening when this much action is required to comply with what has been the law for many, many decades. Will we have to do this in every metropolitan city? Ferguson is not a major US city. How can this happen?
DeleteI was having a recent conversation with a young lady, and we were discussing how much different the opportunities for African Americans in Atlanta as compared to the Peoria area. She wasn't as appalled by the differences I see between two places that are not that far apart. I lived in Atlanta for 6 years. I met many people from many different backgrounds and I loved the feeling of an equal city. It made me feel very different; I felt like a possibility for change was fresh. Then I see what has unfolded over the last 2 years, and I am ashamed. To even be from the area where this was allowed to occur. After the "Do No Harm" top 15 list, this is changing the stage. Social unrest will continue to boil over, as it has for the last 50 years. I still believe we are capable of being better humans, and then we just keep doing these awful things. It is sad that we are all here with conflict instead of nurturing and caring for others. I have to believe we can do the right thing.
OICU8 012
I almost feel that by trying to fix the what they consider went wrong, they will be going too far the other way. I obviously haven't read the full proposal, but to not given a ticket to someone because they can't pay for it? What about don't do the crime if you can't afford the fine? Granted I do believe there are a lot of broken parts to our system, especially when it comes to equality and opportunity. There is a lot of crime in poverty, but it never seems to occur to the people in power to help get them out of poverty, and maybe they will be less likely to get into trouble. There was something in there about meeting with the citizens and helping youth. I hope that is seriously focused on. I don't look at this as a who did what wrong or who did the worst offense, but instead, I look at it and think, who is going to be involved in making it better? Those are the people that really want to make their town a better, more well-rounded community. I also couldn't help but notice the comment about the $350,000. Basically he said it's their own faults. This is an ignorant statement in my opinion. It's not encouraging and doesn't make me see that person as someone who is willing to forgive and move forward. That amount of money could affect your city. The one that is trying to improve. I can see how it seems that the Justice Department is trying to make a statement out of Ferguson. If it gets us in the right direction then that might not be such a bad thing. It has to start some where. Purple012
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the section in the agreement where the officers won't give out tickets to someone because they can't pay for it makes no sense. I think the police department was too aggressive in trying to stop some of the rioting in Ferguson City but where do you draw the line. When do police officers stop policing the people and why should criminals get away with crimes. The article we read had good ideas and bad ideas. I hope the citizens of Ferguson City can come up with an agreement that works for everyone. It will be hard to do. Hadrosaur012
DeleteI too agree that some of the tactics used by the police against protesters and rioters were excessive. We also need to keep in mind though that this is not something these officers were used to dealing with. Im sure if they could go back they would chage alot of the things that they did. But , this is the way it was handled and hopefully alot of people learned from the things that went on. Crown012
DeleteI agree with your first statement very much! One step forward and two steps back in my eyes. I do believe that if you commit a crime, you should not get "off the hook" because you cannot afford it. On the other hand, I do not agree with you about crime and poverty. I believe that the wealthy commit just as many, if not more crimes than the poor. The wealthy can just get out of things much easier because money makes the world go round. I do not think the town will come up with a solution that everyone will be happy with, but I do hope they can come up with a solution that is fair for all involved. Storm012
DeleteAgreed we have to start somewhere. Here's the thing though, this kind of action has been taken part in our country sense the founding. Oppression, racisms officials and people in positions of authority taking advantage of things. The thing is it seems like we never learn, everything just evolves and adapts to the present time, if you truly think about it. It is one never ending circle of man vs man, man vs self and ultimately man vs society as a whole, its a constant struggle. MuayThaiGuy012
DeleteI agree with you about how the justice department is supposed to serve and protect. By making raising taxes for more support for the justice department it putts further strain on the people instinctively making the crime rate go up making more need for more resources toward the justice department. It like the bodies positive feedback loop. TAGTaylor33012
DeleteWho are the city and Department of Justice's elected leaders? Are they a diverse enough group to really make the best decisions for the public in Ferguson City? The citizens have a very short time to go over and give feedback on a 131-page decree. I don't believe this decision should be hastily made. The poorer community and the African American community seems to be the most affected by the events in Ferguson City. This article suggests that the agreement "has the potential to cripple the city financially." Who is this agreement really helping? Doesn't sound like it has the publics best interests in mind. Even though there will be a public hearing, if the council doesn't agree to the conditions there is still the possibility of a costly lawsuit from the Department of Justice. Where will Ferguson City get the money to pay for that? The suggested ideas are costly ones. Paying for a monitor and increasing taxes will hurt everyone in my opinion. I don't understand the part where the agreement would take away the police's right to give a ticket to someone violating the law because they can't afford it. Maybe I misunderstood because I do agree with the police not being able to collect on warrants and payments on fines just to increase revenue. I do think the part of the agreement where officers and residents would have programs where they interact with each other in a positive situation is a good idea. I think that would build relationships and a better sense of community. I really hope the city leaders and Department of Justice will listen to the residents of Ferguson City. I think the citizens should have a say about what is best for their community and not be dictated too from a higher power. In return the citizen should act like a community and think if their actions would help or hurt the situation they are in. Hadrosaur012
ReplyDeleteFerguson is an extremely engrossing case to me, because there is no way of knowing for certain what occurred that evening. It is clear that changes need to be made to ensure the safety of all, and to be sure that the police officers were not taking advantage of their power. With that being said, I do not believe the new proposal they have scripted out is the way to go. I do believe video and audio recording devices on all emergency vehicles would be a very intelligent thing in which to invest. I do not, however, believe that not ticketing or arresting someone guilty of a crime because they are unable to pay or afford bail is an improvement to the already current laws. Ferguson took two steps back, one step forward and another step back in my opinion. They are not listening to the community enough, and I do not believe they are going about this the correct way at all. Storm012
ReplyDeleteI agree with your stance on the part about not fining somebody because they couldn't afford it, but everything else in this report from what the article stated was very good and fair. This is a step in the right direction but as tie progresses the city will learn what works and what doesn't work. For now, this report will have to do. Its not perfect, but it is a good starting point for ferguson.
DeleteCountryGirl789
I agree with your statement about the relationship between affordability and being punished for wrong doing. All of us are expected to abide by the law of the land, rich or poor should not matter. Having said that, we don’t know exactly what happened in Ferguson, but I understand that police have a difficult job do sometimes their life is in danger. I empathize for them, but that should not be taken as granted to misuse their authority. I’m struggling bit to understand in this case. Chichi012
DeleteThe law is the law. It is written and made for a reason. No matter if you're poor or rich you do the crime you do the time. People do not tend to think about the consequences during or before doing a crime. The police forceis not the only problem in Ferguson but social media makes it seem that way. es some police officers are corrupt but the also do have a tough job and he citizens going against them instead of helping to regain thier city, does not help at all.
DeleteI have no doubt that the Ferguson police and court system were doing somes that would be seen as unethical or wrong. I have no doubt that whatever comes from this proposal will correct alot of the corruption that appears to have been going on. I think the changes that they will make will prevent something of this magnitude happeneing again, but it isn't going to make everyone happy, and the first time some police officer does something that could be considered even a little out of line, the people are going to call for his head. I really hope the Justice Department's reprimanding of the police department doesn't give the people of the community a sense of supoiriority over the police officers. They still need to respect them and do as they say when they become involved with them, otherwise they wont have made any progress. And for the officers, i hope that they don't become to cautious to do their job. They can't be too scared to make a necessary move because they're afraid of the repercussions. I believe the extra training that they will be receiving should help in that regard. Crown012
ReplyDeleteI agree I think that the police force from Ferguson understands that they went about this the wrong way and I believe that they will find a way in this proposal to correct a lot of those. I think that it was an important move for the police force to make.-Bengals012
DeleteYes, I agree. It really is a balance. We need police and communities working together. People need to be held accountable and so do the police. I hope some type of balance comes from this. I try to be optimistic and think that lots of lessons have been learned by many through the course of everything in last 18 months. Purple012
DeleteI am glad that i read this I feel like I was able to gain quite a bit of information from this article. I didn't know that specific cities were aloud to write up their own rules or laws. I believe that the police force understands that they may not have handled things in the best way they could have and now they are trying to correct the mistake or mistakes that they have made. I do believe that this whole situation was a beneficial learning experience on how situations like these need to be handled by the police force in the future.-Bengals012
ReplyDeleteI am glad that i read this I feel like I was able to gain quite a bit of information from this article. I didn't know that specific cities were aloud to write up their own rules or laws. I believe that the police force understands that they may not have handled things in the best way they could have and now they are trying to correct the mistake or mistakes that they have made. I do believe that this whole situation was a beneficial learning experience on how situations like these need to be handled by the police force in the future. This is also a good learning experience for people on the outside looking in to see these mistakes and not make similar ones in different forces.-Bengals012
ReplyDeleteThat is one of the biggest things i've seen with thi situation. At first the police seemed to be oblivious to what they were doing and felt they were in the right. The public pressure must have forced them to recognize their shortfalls and made them recognize something had to be done.-Pasta012
DeleteIn Ferguson, Missouri tensions have been high for quite a while in a very public way. The recent proposal by officials may be the beginning step in starting to lower the intensity and unjust treatment of the city’s financially lower class and helping the community to move forward and move past previous shortfalls. The effect of the proposal could go either very well or backfire if they show a lack of willingness to follow through. However with the public pressure to continue the process and honor the proposal, only ignorance and stupidity would give the officials reason to back down after a deal was reached to mitigate the anger and frustration from the public. The agreements to honor basic human rights and decency when police interact with the public and on their written reports are necessary and without those things it will all fall apart. You can’t say you are equal and held to the same standard when you don’t back it up with actions. –Pasta012
ReplyDeleteThis is what is hard to distinguish. Certain actions simply seem to be followed through with a ‘by any means necessary’ predicate. If St. Louis is infamous for their hardline reputation of holding people as long as they are allowed without probable cause does that mean that Ferguson is just the tip of the iceberg? I never heard anything about the surrounding areas during the time this event took place, it was always just about Ferguson. An officer makes this fatal error and protests spread like crashing waves, passing from the community to across the nation. The property taxes will be an issue that will probably get overlooked if the proposal is passed. Since this area is already in poverty I believe the economic crisis there will only worsen. I agree that Ferguson will be in the news very soon in this coming week, regardless of the proposal’s decision. - StrongArm789
DeleteThis article was interesting and informative to me because I didn't know quite a few of the laws here that were being broke by the police. I didn't know that they could not take your personal property without a search warrant as when they spoke of them taking the high dollar filmakers camera. I agree that something has to happen for change. The residents there need to feel protected and know that the police are their to do so not worry about being discriminated against. The thing is how far do they go before going to far? I agree on the whole body cam thing as I have seen that popping up everywhere and it seems to be working in most cases, but the police also have to be able to arm themselves for the criminals that are out there to endanger the public or police. Most people probally don't but I agree no need to pull them over for a warrant, at least for awhile to see how it goes or they get this straightened out. The police know where you live and with technology the way it is most of the time they know where you are anyways, so track them down there. Leave traffic for traffic. Also when they do get them for the ticket, only charge them once not double jeoporady on the same ticket so it ends up being outrageous for lets say speeding. Maybe they should also be asking for getting money from the government to help with the costs so their not using the public as their only revenue. I'm not sure how far too far is but whats been being done in the past didn't work, so any type of reform or restructure is a start. Deacon012
ReplyDeleteI found this article to be very informative. Something that stood out to me, was how much this article focused on financial things. This article states that this proposal has the ability to cripple the city financially, however is this proposal gets rejected the city will be facing a lawsuit from the justice system. There is a lot of focus on what might have to be done to cut cost and to bring it more money, for instance the April ballot already has two new tax increases to bring in more profit. On the flip side, the Ferguson fire department, may for its own district, saving Ferguson roughly $2.2million annually. Although the city is facing tough financial times, I think that there will be some good things to come if this proposal is passed. Police officers will be required to meet with members of the community to build their trust, officers will be required to wear body cameras at all times, and there are new guidelines for the officers, giving them specifics on when the use of firearms in okay. Over all I think this article was very interesting. Piglet456
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on many good things could come out of this proposal. It will be very expensive but in the long run could be very well worth it. The officers interacting with the public is a major part of the proposal. Due to the events in the past they need to rebuild their relationships with citizens. dragons789
DeleteI agree with you one the catch 22 with the whole situation. The proposal could be accepted and then a bunch of money is going to be needed to fund the major changes or if they reject the proposal the city gets sued and that could be a big financial loss for the city as well. I think at least reforming is the better way to go because it will work to grow ties to the community and bring back community policing. If they say no and try to fight the lawuit it could grow more tensions in the community and the negative views towards police and the city of Ferguson could get worse as a result of the rejection of the proposal. Birdman123
DeleteThis article was very interesting to me. My favorite part was how when Clay said that if Ferguson would have acted in a manner that abided by the constitution and laws of Missouri they wouldn't be in this predicament. I completely agree with that as well. It is not a race thing, that stuff happens everyday. Every race, just an unfortunate thing to happen. No one really knows the truth of what happened that day besides Officer Darren Wilson. Whether or not he was telling the truth is beyond us. I just think that that much havoc and protesting over one life was too much. I think the situation probably could have been handled a little bit better but it's what happened. Moving onto the cost of this whole operation they have planned is outrageous. They should probably work on that little bit. I know they already are and they have found a couple of solutions that I found out from the article which is good. But taking it out of the taxpayers pocket is not always a good solution. Not many people are going to agree with that if you ask me. They will probably get pretty mad about this and that will create a new problem. Will it ever be able to be solved? Maybe, maybe not. It's all a part of life. ICCRunner789
ReplyDeleteI feel like Brown's death, although tragic, was an excuse to unleash. The town went wild. Yes, there were some people who truly cared for Mr. Brown and protested solely on that, but others let a lifetime of racism come from this. Not only do people blame the Ferguson police for being racist but now everything that officers do is out of racism. It set off a whole wave of people just leaping on. Aside from these two groups you also had the people who just wanted to riot. The people that broke into stores and stole televisions "for Michael Brown". No, it wasn't for Mr. Brown. It was an excuse to join in the chaos.
Delete-Leilani789
I think that Brown’s shooting was a wakeup call to some people to step up and say that the police have been doing something wrong for a while and it needs to stop. The problem is that not everyone had the same idea; there were a lot of people that thought burning down the city was a good idea or causing a riot was productive. Those people that used violence to solve the situation didn’t really want to solve anything and the people that had something to say fell behind the wall of the mob and were muffled by the sounds of violence. Birdman789
DeleteThis article really makes you look at the police department as a whole in Ferguson and not just the one officer. The whole police department is at fault for any wrong doings in the past. Most everything mentioned in the article was very fair. The police department should practice more community policing and have more transparency with the community. I didn't really agree with The part where it talked about considering a person financial situation before giving them a fine. That just seems like something that would make the police department seem weak and just want to be your friend. There is a line with being your friend and doing a job correctly. The parts mentioned in the article and video about the report seem fine but the part about the fine is just crossing the line a bit. This report however is a giant step in the right direction for reforming not only the ferguson police department but others around the nation.
ReplyDeleteCountryGirl789
I agree with you on the part where you said better community policing and having more transparency because unless your doing something wrong why wouldn't you. That would also help the people of Ferguson start trusting them again. I don't necessarily disagree with you on the part of considering a personal financial situation, but think I interpreted differently. If I remember right (which maybe I don't)I think before that was going on the thing they were doing was like charging them insane money for something that should have been a simple fine, and different people were getting charged different amounts for the same thing. I think they proved their were people who were getting charged several times for the same incident, while others committing the exact same crime weren't paying anything...so the dept. could make money. I think if your caught speeding it should be a flat ticket with certain amount of time to pay no matter who you are. Deacon012
DeleteI also don’t believe that the financial situation a person is in should affect whether or not they are fined, and I don’t think it will work for long. I know that I cannot afford a ticket right now, so I don’t speed or break any laws; I can’t help but think that this will make people feel like it’s okay to break laws if they can’t pay for the repercussions. I agree that it was a step in the right direction to write this agreement, but I don’t agree that it was a huge step, because I think revisions will still need to be made in order to fully restore the relationship between the police force and the citizens of Ferguson.
DeleteBlues456
I agree with the original poster, and the first comment on the subject of community policing. A community should be protected by their police force. I also agree with the original poster about her stance on the "too friendly" issue. The purpose of the agreement was to make the law system in Ferguson 'just' again, not to exclude the residents in Ferguson from basic federal laws. -Jakku012
DeleteThis article was both interesting and informative. I think these change could lead to both some positive and negative things. A negative thing that could happen is the cost. The cost of all the changes such as body cams and cameras in police cars are not cheap. Also it said that officers will go through extensive amount of training so they can adapt to the changes. That will require some money so they can make sure the officer get the proper training. They are raising the taxes to be able to afford these changes and that could leave a lot of citizens unhappy. But the changes could also lead to some positive outcomes such as better relationships between the police department and citizens. The article says that police officers will attend numerous small meetings to foster trust between residents and establish various long-term programs to interact with the city’s youths. This could greatly improve the relationship between police officers and citizens and help prevent similar events from happening. dragons789
ReplyDeleteThere are certainly unforeseen consequences of any government program. The costs you outlined would most likely be such unforeseen results of the Ferguson concessions. From the Sociological perspective of social conflict, I can see this possibly creating another conflict when it comes to taxing poor groups more than those who are better financially endowed. The city officials will have to very careful in the way they institute these new taxes to avoid such a conflict. - Jung012
DeleteThe article was very interesting. From the sociological perspective of social conflict, the actions in Ferguson could be interpreted as a division of groups within the city and possible within other areas of the United States. If officer Wilson did, indeed, unjustly attack Brown out of malice or his conceived superiority, it could be due to his race or social standing. Officer Wilson may have viewed Brown as a lesser person and, therefore, acted upon his biases and racism when given the opportunity. The courts may also have been part of the capitalist machine. As the article said, they operated “primarily uses its judicial authority as the means to compel the payment of fines and fees that advance the city’s financial interests.” The protests would, again, be consistent with this perspective as they were an example of the proletariat class revolting against the bourgeois police force. Finally, the concessions made by the city of Ferguson was the result of this revolution. Further restrictions and monitoring of the police force as well as the “new board and committee to oversee the community policing plan” would serve to avoid future incidents and protests. – Jung012
ReplyDeleteWe reviewed what happened in Ferguson a lot during Crim. 110 last semester, going into detail on our term paper about community policing. The details in this proposal are pricey, but I think the outcome will be good. Ferguson police have given police as a whole a bad name in the past year, and I think working in the heart of Ferguson to train their officers and better equip them to handle the community will yield positive outcomes. The article said that upon research, Ferguson's police force was not the worst known, but after all of the attention it got recently I think it's great that they are working out how to grow from this. If this new proposal goes down well it could be beneficiary to the officers, the citizens, and the community as a whole.
ReplyDelete-Leilani789
From a sociological perspective, you could view the Brown case as a racial attack solely as many do. Many people across the world protested and attacked the Ferguson police department for their racism. It was said that whites had the apprehend in the community even though the community was predominately african american. I believe that this new proposal will benefit the Ferguson community and help them to come to an agreement with officers there. Not only will the citizen be more comfortable but officers will be put through more extensive training and be able to understand, empathize, and relate to the citizens of Ferguson better. In a community like Ferguson you need to build a strong relationship amongst officers and citizens so that they can work forward from the rough year they have trudged through.
ReplyDelete-Leilani012
The work of the proposal I think will do many great think including the 50 hours of more training. And I do agree that with the training the ability for the community and the officers can begin to get better over time it won’t be over night though.
DeleteJfl123
I agree. The law enforcement needs to train there cops on how society is different today then what they want to think. I mean the law enforcement might have their own opinion but they need to realize that society, culture, and environment are completely different now. It is a good thing that they are building a stronger relationship with the community. BlackHawks012
DeleteThis article talks about how Ferguson messed up and how it is still feeling the effect of it. The three main points it went in to detail were the protest response, community policing and municipal court. Before I speak about those I would like to speak on the best two lines in the entire article. The first one was one of the last sentences. And it said that before the shooting of Michael Brown Ferguson was not apart of the top five worst police departments. Think about that for a minute. And the second was if Ferguson abided by the Constitution and laws of the state there would have been absolutely not problem. A lesson that was a teaching moment not for Ferguson but the rest of the country. The police used uncostinitional force to protect themselves from any type of protest, which is a huge problem. Another thing that the police did was holding a person for 20 hours max for calling them wanted and not having a warrant, and lastly the community policing was not working because of the lack of any solid police work.
ReplyDeleteJfl789
This is a really great comment. I completely agree with you that this should be a step forward in the right direction and not a step backward. I think that its weird that Ferguson was not apart of the top five worst police departments. Godzilla789
DeleteIts about time the law enforcement in Ferguson did something with the community and did it the right way. Citizens of that town don't want to be accused of something every time they get pulled over or walking down the street. They don't want to have another innocent like the Micheal Brown case again. Even if they did again which should never happen again. Building a relationship with the community is the right path to trust the citizens and the police. It will be a positive influence on children so that they don't have to be afraid of cops or being accused of something that they didn't do or be dragged downtown. It's still the 21st century and society is changing on a whole new level. Everything will be better if the law enforcement and the community can agree on something that everyone can handle and understand. Overall the article is inspiring. It shows that a community is making a difference. BlackHawks012
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, I feel like they need to get the citizens trust back so Ferguson can be a better place.I feel like if they treat the citizens better it would make the people of Ferguson feel better. Neverson012
DeleteIt was an interesting article to read, but I don’t think that the police were specifically targeting a certain race when doing their job. It could be true that there were a few officers who targeted African Americans over a certain race or since the majority of residents in Ferguson are African American. The probability of a crime involving an African American is more because there are just more people. Now if it was a predominantly white city and African Americans were being arrested more, then I could see some targeting by police. Another thing I saw that caught my attention was how they are going to pay to make all the changes for the city. With the costs of body cameras and other things they are doing to change the police and the courts, it will cost a lot of money and paying for it with taxes is just going make people angry because the amount they pay for taxes will go up. Birdman123
ReplyDeleteI most certainly agree with your statement saying that they're not specifically targeting blacks; that's just what the majority of the population is in Ferguson. I also agree with you that it would be prejudiced if, in a predominantly white city, blacks were being pulled over and/or arrested more. However that isn't the case with Ferguson.
DeleteI also agree with you that the cost of the things the city is wanting to add can be a bit excessive. I know, for one, if the taxes in my town were to go up for a few unneeded "necessities" I wouldn't be too happy about it. Gators123
It will be interesting to see the changes that are going to take place in Ferguson and maybe some of those changes will be implemented in other departments around the country. The one big thing that Ferguson has to deal with is the cost of changing the courts and the police departments. With the changes, there will be the rise in taxes to help pay for them, in doing so it will make a lot of people unhappy. With having police use body cameras and take classes in community policing, it should help a lot in creating a better relationship with the community. The body cameras could tell parts of the story that the officer may have forgotten and it can give citizens a view of what really happened in a controversial decision to really see if the officer did the right thing or now; with the officers taking classes to improve relations, it could form stronger relations between the officers and the community they are there to protect. Birdman789
ReplyDeleteI think the system will work. The changes that have been made are for the people of Ferguson and they know that. Hopefully they aren't still seeking revenge on law officers for what happened in the riots. I also believe the body cams will help officers and citizens out.
DeleteKLICK789
From a criminal law perspective, it's honestly about time the law enforcement of Ferguson try to find a reason to build a relationship with the community. The justice department should retrain or train the rookies on what to and not to do when they are in a position with someone of the same or different race as them if the victim is doing any criminal activity. I don't think they want another innocent like the Micheal Brown case and be accused of racism again. Even though they should of done something about their cops along time ago but it's better late than never. It is a good thing that the Justice Department is retraining their law enforcement because it will probably benefit in the long wrong and maybe teach them how to stand their ground a little bit more. Over all this article was an eye opener. DaBulls456
ReplyDeleteThis is a great comment. I definitely agree that it is great the justice department is retraining people. Honestly a lot of police need to be retrained or given more training due to incidents like this. The world is changing in so many ways and their training should accommodate that.
Deleteforgot to add this to my reply....VT012
DeleteI agree there has been a skewed idea of what can be done and what is legal. The city of Ferguson has seen just that, retraining officer's are a great idea! The only thing is, how will they do this? Money is tight and is going to get tighter with these restrictions. Ferguson needs to have the LEO's reflect their community more so than having officers who do not live their be in control of their city. This is a step in the right direction with having new guidelines to allow the citizens to feel more at ease with their PD.
DeletePalmdaddy789
I would have to agree with this. Its just going to take awhile for them to fix the Ferguson, no matter the man power or knowledge behind them. I can see more cases like Mr. Browns happening because that's what the media is trying to find. They don't show how in the crime rate going down, rather how the small things that keep it. ICCRunner 789
DeleteI think the agreement will benefit the people of Ferguson.One thing I didn't like was that the citizens have to pay for the cameras and mics.I feel like they shouldn't have to come out of pocket.Its not the citizens fault about what happened,it was the responsibility of the police.I think they should have them though. Neverson012
ReplyDeleteI think that the police of Ferguson acted inappropriately to the entire situation, but I'm not sure that some of the points in the agreement are necessarily right either. I do not believe that it will impact the police force positively; body cameras, not fining those who can't pay, and constantly being watched will make the police force too afraid to do their jobs, while threats of the police force responding like this again, and how this agreement will affect their own pockets will make the citizens afraid to live their own lives. However, the article quotes Representative William Clay as saying, “… if they had acted in a manner that abided by the constitution and the state of Missouri, they would not be in this situation,” and I agree with this. If they had not gone to the extreme that they had, this whole situation would have ended differently.
ReplyDeleteBlues456
This article was very interesting and informative. It can be directly related to the basic principle of Marxism. Clearly in the city of Ferguson and the surrounding towns of St. Louis, there is a social wall separating the wealthy and the poor. With this new system the city is pushing for, it gives the community and the people in it a fair and just system of justice. The system is looking to weed out and rid some of the corruption in the justice department of the St. Louis area, starting with the court system and the police departments. The hopes of this new system are very optimistic, yet they leave plenty of room for mistreatment. I only hope that if this were to be instituted, people need to still respect authority of the law officials as well as vice versa or the system will continue to stay broken. If one part of society still holds on to a false consciousness of responsibility and place in society, it will effect the way the societal groups or classes look at and act towards one another. This idea is very encouraging but one can only hope that it will turn out fair for all. Bullsnation012.
ReplyDeleteI do wish this video went on longer to tell us more. It was quite interesting because I did not know about the agreement. I think the so called "agreement" was a little unfair to the people. It was unfair in the fact that their ability to pay would effect their chance at justice. I do however agree that it is important that Ferguson's law enforcement be enforced. The people of Ferguson took things too far and now will have to earn back what they destroyed. Good video tho it will be interesting to see what happens with this case. VT012
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part of the article was the end of it. And I am not saying I was glad it was over. It was because of the mention of this not only being a problem in Ferguson. John Ammann said that Ferguson doesn't even make it into the top five cities with the worst operation of municipal courts, and that if the Justice Department was coming down this hard on Ferguson, that it needs to in other cities as well. I agree with this whole heartily because there is a huge gap in the justice system where the line of wrong and right should be. Citizens should not have to feel as if they are walking a tight rope every time there is law enforcement involved. I find the agreement important because of certain additives. The two that stuck in my mind were: not being able to retain property without a warrant, and the body cams to be worn at all times. The warrants are important and a basic federal law. This should not have to be reminded to the cops of Ferguson, seeing it holds true nation wide. My little sister (7) who constantly watches Criminal Minds knows that you can't take something from someone without permission or a warrant. Maybe it seems like common sense to outsiders, or maybe an officer should know the things he learned during his schooling and training. The body cams are important for protection of the cops and citizens. They will benefit both sides of the parties and maybe put a little more truth into the stories, since there will be UNDESTROYED/UNRETAINED footage of what happens. Cops are not above the law. They are there to enforce the law, not make new ones...and I think the cops in Ferguson forgot where to draw that line. Hopefully this agreement refines the Justice System in that town. -Jakku012
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, its crazy that Fergusons Municipal Courts aren't even the worst in the country yet it had the biggest impact. I believe this new system will change the way police do their jobs and that will hopefully bring peace for the police and community.
DeleteKLICK012
I completely agree. This was just more publicly addressed, so they are trying to cover it to appease the people. The whole country needs to look at how police officers are treating the ones they pull over or are arresting. Just because someone broke the law doesn't mean human rights go out the window.Marley012
DeleteThis article is detailed and informative. But some of the proposal like providing officers with training to effectively and ethically police seems like a common sense and the police should have had that training and been following that training already. On the other hand, appointing independent monitor to review the situation seem like a balanced and good idea. I also think that bringing youth in the community and police together to have better understanding each other’s situation will diffuse some tension. I am not sure if adding more red-tape and process around how to police will be a productive option. I think that introducing more processes will be counterproductive to effective policing. At the end, what is important is to make sure both police and community understands each other’s role and see themselves from other’s shoes. – chichi012
ReplyDeleteI think it is sad that all of this had to happen. If the police were doing their jobs the right way none of this would have happened. The department is having to build community trust that I don't think will be there for a very long time. Sir Robert Peels beliefs and ideas were not being used in Ferguson, Missouri. The complaint process the article made will hopefully stop the police harassment in Ferguson. I feel like the complaints might get exaggerated by the community to benefit themselves. I'm really looking forward to seeing what this new system is going to do for Ferguson and its Police Officers.
ReplyDeleteKLICK789
I agree, I don't think there will be much "peace" for long. This issue is a racial heavy one. Its not something that just goes away with new polices. I feel like a lot of racial things are exaggerated these days whether they are right or not. I guess the minorities of this country still feel repressed which can result in all this racial tension and exploitation. The bad cops need to get out of here, but the bad cops are peanuts, in comparison with all the good cops. Stories like these give way to bad of a rep to cops now a days.
DeleteMusic 456
I agree with yo 100% if the police would have been doing their jobs right in the first place none of this would have taken place. I also agree there won't be peace for a long time, but at least its a start. hopefully things will start to change. -dicaprio789
DeleteI think that the Ferguson police need to go back to community policing to establish ties with the community. From what I have read and things I have heard about the department is that they have a negative outlook in the community. A lot of police departments are having these same problems and there should definently be a change soon. Birdman789
DeleteThe sociological view of this whole situation to me would be that the social norms of the society were broken a long time ago when the police were abusing their authority. The racial divide between the police and the community is also one of the problems. the officers and the community aren't making very good connections when they meet. If the officer would try to understand the victim or suspect and try to understand why they are doing the things they are doing and maybe try to help them change those things. That's what community policing is, making good connections with the community and by doing that the trust will be built.
ReplyDeleteKLICK012
This is very accurate the norms were broken from the beginning which is very bad for relations. I think its very important that the police officers in the community need to understand the people they say they are "protecting". The police cant think that they are above the law they are just citizens of the community like you and me. Godzilla012
DeleteI agree, but at the end of the day police aren't trying to sit down and figure out why certain people are doing the things that they are doing. Yes, I also agree that trust has been broken a long time ago. I also believe that with great hands on with residents and police that the city can turn things around. Pinky012
Delete“This wasn’t just about Ferguson,” he said. “Two years ago, had you asked us which were the five worst cities for the operation of their municipal courts, Ferguson wasn’t in the top five. So if the Justice Department is coming down this hard on Ferguson, it should be doing the same with these other cities too.” My opinion on this article is that the justice system shouldn't be pointing fingers at anyone. Even though other cities have and had the same problems of Ferguson. That doesn't mean the city needs to point the finger. Micheal Brown death will change a lot in St. Louis and I am hoping that it does get approved. By the police wearing body cams will save a lot of lives and give the public a peace of mind. No one is above the law and some people take advantage of it when the power gets handed over to them and I find that since will if it gets approved the police cannot retain property without a warrant is good. I know a lot of people from St. Louis have stuff taking from them and they wasn't even doing nothing wrong.
ReplyDeleteBikeLife456
It is good that there has been a form of corrections added to Ferguson PD. though this is big for the community. I have had the opportunity to sit and listen to a panel of the Black Lives Matter movement and had the opportunity to ask questions about the issue from their daily lives. This article touches base on accountability for the officer's actions. The town itself is broken and the LEO's there have been getting away with a lot. The citizens can get their way with this, but issues will come back. Body cams look good on paper, but the cost and storage will probably be a clash with the city. Ferguson has a lot of hurt, I could go on for hours about the city and their economics, with that I am curious on how this all will play out.
ReplyDeletePalmdaddy789
Interesting to see that some sort of "treaty" is coming into place in Ferguson. Since the death of Micheal Brown, racial tensions have been very high. If the kid were white, would it have been different? Its hard to tell, but there has been a serious issue going on. I think people exploited the situation, and took things way too far. There is without a doubt justification for the family of Brown and the community to be upset. But, looting, violent riots, gun shots, beatings, attacking cops. This is all things that have gone way too far. Seeing that a compromise is in place will hopefully diminish the racial tension. I think its more of a racial issue than it is ethics and morals. Having body cameras on 24/7 I think should be everywhere. It would stop all the non-sense. Overall, I think its going to be an ever going issue with racial ties in Ferguson. Its something that still hasn't completely gone away with the abolishing of slavery.
ReplyDeleteMusic 456
I agree with you on questioning whether or not it would have been as big of a deal if it had been a white kid. I also feel as if though this is a racial issue that will more than likely never die out. It is an ongoing occurrence as well as a problem that needs to be dealt with in a different manor with different tactics and approaches. I feel as if though by making it mandatory for an officer to be wearing body cameras 24/7 may do similar situations justice as long as it is enforced and monitored. I also agree with you that this whole situation was blown way out of proportion not only on the media side of things but between the citizens of the community as well as the police officers of Ferguson. Sparks123
DeleteThis article was very interesting, but not much of a shock for me. I knew the police in ferguson were not abiding by the criminal justice system correctly. Things have always seemed a little crooked to me to be honest. I'm glad they are finally getting into this situation. I do agree they should also have a warrant before seeing any items, especially personal. I think this ferguson thing has gone way too far, the violence has to stop, the police are to protect the people not stick guns in their faces. But also the people need to protest without violence, setting random businesses on fire, and luding. We all need a change and hopefully finally a change is coming. -dicaprio789
ReplyDelete*012
DeleteLooking at this through a sociological perspective the "social norms" here were broken and have been broken. The riots and the violence between the police and the citizens of Ferguson is not a normal social interaction. The police are supposed to be there to protect you, not to be against you. Its going to take a lot of time, and a lot of work before the citizens of Ferguson give their trust back into the police. I think the police themselves have a lot of work on. The whole department needs to be vamped up. A lot of the police officers were not following proper "police code" they need to use community policing a lot more. The police need to get involved with their communities and get to know the people again, and really get back into wha it means to be a police officers. You are a police officer for a reason, some police officers use their bias and their judgment for the upper hand. But to me thats not what being a police officer is about, its about being there for your community and to protect. This whole community was brought up in an uproar and its going to take some time to get back to what is deemed "normal" -dicaprio012
DeleteI agree this article was very interesting, for me it was an eye opener. To be honest I've never been in much trouble with the law so i guess i just feel like i can trust them and that there not out to get me or take advantage of me. I try not to be a conspiracy theorist and believe what the rumors but this video taught me that you cant always trust what the media says or what is widely believed to be true. After watching this video i feel that Ferguson police department was more of a business that wanted to make money off citizens than a police department there to protect. Unpredictable012
DeleteThe events that took place in Ferguson were very tragic and should have never had happened. In this article there were a lot of good points that I was hoping to see. For instance, this new proposed agreement is a very good and uplifting thing taking place in Ferguson. It’s time that the department of justice in Ferguson stepped up to the plate and realized that what they were doing was not working. Their policing tactics were outdated, and inefficient as well as only causing more problems. After the incident between Wilson and Brown the people of Ferguson had enough and realized they needed to do something in order to voice their opinion. The lack of community policing throughout Ferguson was a big part of this. Most of the community only felt as if though the police were out to get them, there was no connection between the community and the officers. It said in the article that the agreement was going to enforce and monitor better police training towards less violent tactics in defusing a situation. I agree with this and feel as if though it will help out a lot. If the officers would have had better training in first place this series of unfortunate events would have been a lot less likely to have taken place. sparks123
ReplyDeleteFirst of all id liked to say that I’m happy things are changing in Ferguson for the better. Although corruption isn’t right I’m happy to hear the truth has come to the light. I say this because I’m sure this isn’t the only part of America were this is going on. I want other people to read this and start to ask more questions. Way to often we just allow things to be done without asking why, I feel like this is defiantly the case when it comes to law enforcement. As children we are taught that there are people in the world that have are best interest at heart and that we can trust them. I’m talking about teachers when were young were told not to talk back to them and that there here to help, so we begin to think there fair and that they wouldn’t take advantage of us this is the same case with law enforcement were taught that what they say goes, if they give you a command you do it, why? Because there supposedly here to help and protect us, I feel the Ferguson police department used this authority to take advantage of the people of Ferguson. Even I myself found myself thinking if someone just told me that the police were taking advantage of us everyday id say there crazy maybe call them a conspiracy theorist or something like that but after watching this video I feel that I should always ask questions and be aware. Unpredictable 012
ReplyDeleteThis is a case that truly sparked a nationwide question regarding race relations as well as trust between a community and that of its police force. Ferguson became a prime example of a community that wanted to rise up and defend their rights, as well as their right to protest. Many riots and arsons occurred within days of the murder so police began to take action in their own hands. They began to suspect many as unlawful citizens, such as the statement of rifles being pointed towards crowds of protestors. It is hard to say that common sense should have been observed by both sides while things were heating up, but also as I can say, I’ve never been in such a situation, or ever near something of this magnitude. The decisions laid out by the Justice Department have many clear points that the police force should abide by. Wearing POV cameras at all times and obtaining warrants when seizing recordings will be crucial in eliminating circumstantial evidence. Instead all future evidence will be direct evidence, if need be. After reading this I strongly agree that the municipal court wasn’t acting with the intentions of protecting the community. It appears that the court needs reformed, especially since it is acting in a way that St. Louis is notorious for, arresting and holding people for 20 hours without a warrant for example. If all is approved on February 9th than perhaps the department will change for the better and slowly gain respect from the community that they have sworn to protect. The cost on property taxes alone may be difficult for many to adapt to but it’s an open-ended question on if it will be enough to ensure future safety for everyone. - StrongArm789
ReplyDeleteThis document they have written is kind of ridiculous. I think it is a good idea that police vehicles has cameras and microphones so individual's has the knowledge of what goes on behind the scene. I agree that the residents had a right to be upset about it but they definitely did not react the correct way. Rioting looting killing people destroying stores is not something that should have happened. The document they created is trying to make the police and residents relationship stronger which you cant have a good community without proper police resident relationships. All the new advancements that the police are trying to reach is something that they should have had all along. I think Ferguson is a good example of what will happen when the police and residents don't have good relations. Not to mention that this new document has the ability to cripple their economic system which probably isn't doing too good anyway. Ferguson should be used as a learning step and not as a scar. We need to learn from the mistakes made and make a better future for this town. Godzilla789
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna have to again agree with Mr. Godzilla789. Cameras are a must. I believe action should've been taken against the cities way of government. Where were the high profile human rights activists before the shooting of Michael Brown? Unfortunately riots only hurt the town. Destroying ones own town accomplishes nothing. Given the amount of people outside of that town there protesting and the amount of destruction as a whole is another topic. Nothing in this article about the two police officers shot from long distance. One in the face, one in the shoulder. You don't shoot to warn/scare, you shoot to kill. Community policing: Man, i love this idea. I wonder if any of this was going on. If I ever get into TCSD or PCSD as a deputy I hope to have this opportunity to interact with the community. Especially its youth. I believe Ferguson will go in the books as a learning tool. Doberman789
DeleteFerguson really needed to have something to get their police officers from using excessive force, that's obvious, but if they try to go with this proposal somethings should changed or looked over. The city needs to give the citizens more time to read all of those 131 pages, two weeks is not enough time to actually understand all of that information. Also, the money this proposal will need in the end is unbelievable. $350,000 for the city to keep control over the police departments and courts, then the people will be taxed about $1.5 million more a year on property tax to cover the courts and police departments. This doesn't seem fair, the people are being taxed more, because the officers don't know what line of work they're getting in to. Officers of the law should have to go through more extensive background checks and psychological testing before they are able to protect the public. Putting these weapons in the hands of people who have strong prejudices is not going to save anyone. Marley012
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I consider this young man who lost his life as a fuse. A fuse on a bomb that is the city of Ferguson. This was years in the making. This community and outlining communities are polarized. Extremely polarized because of violations of civil rights and civil liberties. Mistrust has been mapped out due to unlawful practices in policing, improper profiling for revenue generation, and racial bias (implicit/explicit, thank you Dr. White). After watching the videos of Michael you could deduce that he was a troubled young man. All this could've been avoided with a strong family unit in place. A focus or goal. Michael was raised by his Grandmother. Parents are to cherish their children. Be dedicated to them and help them overcome diversity. Not show up when the cameras and body bags do. Give that a minute. (off the soapbox). Body Cams, Body Cams, Body Cams! I did a paper on body cams. I believe they are a great tool. Both as a way to chart/organize a shift. And to personally protect the officer and the individual who comes into contact with the officer. Its like a E.O.o.P. It works both ways. Biggest part of a L.E.O.'s kit should be respect. I for one would love to see this agreement that will be proposed. Ferguson almost has no other choice but to honor it. This needs to be fixed form the inside out. Higher ups have to be recycled. Why do these people get to keep their jobs? They project more money from increased citations as revenue. Who does that? Just so happens their citations keep increasing year to year by large percentages. And who is this 'monitor' and how do I get his job? This title will take home $350,000 for a years work. Someone to proctor the proctor? Ferguson is 6 square miles and has a population of 21,XXX people. $2.2 million annually is spent on fire services? Sounds like they should investigate that also. What blows my mind is Ferguson, MO. isn't in the top worst cities for this mess. In a city that is 67% Afro-American why are there 3 black cops and 50 white cops? This shows lack of diversity in the shop. I loved this article. Because it makes you ask the hard questions. Because it is an exercise in reading between the lines. Education->Cultural awareness->Respect->Cohesion->Unity->Peace->"One nation under God".
ReplyDeleteDoberman789
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your comment, Doberman. I agree with you when saying that this event was just a ticking time bomb that finally went off. I also agree that it takes a strong family unit to effectively raise a child.
DeleteBody cams are great because they show exactly what happened; no one can make up excuses. They also are there for the safety of EVERYONE, not just the officer, not just the perpetrator.
I also agreed with you that Ferguson needs a clean slate when this proposal comes into effect. There needs to be new, non biased blood in the system. If the same problems continue to show up, maybe look at who is dealing with the issues. Gators123
I have very mixed feelings on this agreement in general. Some points are wonderful, and very plausible such as using recordings/video on all police and medics, or not allowing for guns or violence to be used unless other methods have been tried. I did not agree with dropping all charges before Jan. 2014, not ticketing those who can't afford it, or some of the other more radical views. It also did not make sense how the people only have TWO WEEKS to review a 100+ page agreement. That is certainly not enough time to make an educated decision. Either way, win or lose, Ferguson is going to be in a bit of trouble. Adjustments will need to be made to keep their economy afloat.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad, though, that it brought to light the unfairness of court systems in the St.Louis area. This is not a new issue, and it's not selective to only Northern Missouri. All over the United States, unnecessary fines and tickets are issued to gain profit. The targets are those who are minorities and of lower socioeconomic status. Ferguson brought to light so many faults in our modern justice system, one of the main subjects being abuse of power. Police using excessive force, shooting when they could use other methods, saying something is "suspicious" when it's not.. Once again, all directed towards those who can do less about it. Those in power use their power to manipulate and abuse those below them. This needs to be stopped, and I think that the people of Ferguson are making it well known and publicized. -leafy012
From a sociological stand on this it doesn't surprise me at all that they reacted that way. The city and the residents have had a messed up relationship from the beginning. Humans can only take so much crap before they retaliate its been proven time and time again. The death of Michael brown was the light of the fuse and when the police officer got off that the breaking point for these people. These people are living in crap conditions and have been treated as such its no surprise they retaliated. This story also shows the impact that social media has on us. In the video it was saying how the department of justice was picking things that they wanted to see instead of the whole story. The media didn't try to help at all with the situation all they did was just add wood to the fire. Godzilla012
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with this. After toleration has been exhausted, the people were eventually bound to react. There is only so much injustice that can be tolerated. I liked how you referenced the video and I agree with what is being said here as well. If people just pick and choose certain things in reality to show a picture, rather than the whole story, everything turns to chaos. Bullsnation012
DeleteContreras 12 while i was reading this article i find interesting fact about this case each states has different laws when this happening lot of people were not happy because they were discriminate a black person they should treat everyone equal it show that everyone should have opportunity
ReplyDeleteThe article was very good, and informing. Something that stood to me was, that the article talk a lot about the finical with the city. Another thing I do agree with, is they should have a warrant before they stop somebody or conduct a terry stop. I do believe it will take the city some time to gain the police officers back, after the Brown case. I do think the city would feel more better, if the police officers have to wear body cams. But, police officers and the citizens of any town and city, all have a job to do. Police officers, protect and serve and citizens are to follow the law. I think that the citizens of Ferguson took the whole thing to far. People who had nothing to do with it were getting involved for no reason. But, overall in think that it was a good article, with a lot of valuable information.
ReplyDeletePolice456
I agree that they should have a warrant before taking any property or making a stop. And giving the officers body cams will help convict an officer of a crime/violent act easier. The people who came from outside of Ferguson should've stayed there instead of aiding the turmoil already going on. DeadMan456
DeleteI think this article was very imformative. The overall goal of the decree is to build community trust, increase transparency, and strengthen accountability. Karl Marx would've wanted this agreement to pass so the police officers and city officials wouldnot take advantage of the community. The fact that this document would be rejected or accepted on the 18 month anniversary of Michael Browns death was no accident. It would cost quite a bit of money to implement aND the public had little time to waste. If this proposal was rejected, the city risked a lawsuit from the justice department. Just for a monitor to oversee everything would cost $350,000 alone, in the first year. The city council and local firefighters did what they could to offset these costs. The problem was the court system in Ferguson itself. They primarily wanted to collect revenue and had no interest in public safety. Under this new agreement police officers would attend small meetings to foster trust between them and the residents. It would also require 50 annual service training hours for police officers. I think Marx would agree with these stipulations. I'd officer Wilson would've been wearing a body camera we would know all of the facts for this case. I think this agreement would allow the facts to be visible, as much as possible. These types of crimes happen all over the world, all of the time. Something needs to be done.
ReplyDeletedandelion012
I clearly did not spell check well enough. :) dandelion012
DeleteFrom a Criminal Justice perspective I do believe that the police changes are fine. After reading that the police were threatening nonviolent protesters to send them to jail. I do think that it is wrong to even threaten a nonviolent person jail time. They are using jail as an excuse to scare people to get their way. It is good that they are getting change, that is if they do take the proposal. Also, they are changing the law to where a police officer must obtain a warrant before seizing recordings or reviewing the content of a recording device. Which is also a good thing to have because I don't see it being wrong to videotape a person doing their job. The person being videotaped might have a problem with it if they are doing their jobs wrong.
ReplyDelete-Ibanez789
I agree, scare tactics should not be used. The officers operating in Ferguson should use logic and discretion while dealing with the populace. Scare tactics will only cause discord between the public and the law enforcement agents that are supposed to keep them safe.
DeleteSilverado789
There are 131 pages to this proposal. That is a lot of pages to read and review within two weeks. Some of these things that are going to change seem absurd. Like for an example, raising sales tax and property tax to gain 1.5 million dollars annually. Also, if I read this properly, cutting the fire department to save 2.2 million dollars annually. So this would mean that they would only have volunteer firefighters? If so, who would want to volunteer knowing that they cut the firefights off? What I also read was that this has a chance to cripple the city financially. Why would they even offer the city something with so much budget cuts that it can also have a possibility of crippling the financial stability? But if the city doesn't do anything about it they can be facing a lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department. Like I said in my last post, the police changes seem fine but the other changes I've been seeing just don't make much sense to me quite yet.
ReplyDelete-Ibanez012
I agree in full, that is a lot to read and the citizens are still figuring out what is going on. There also needs to be a broadening of the attention the people reforming all of the to make sure everything possible is up to date. There were a lot of things that in my professional opinion were left out. DwDrums789
DeleteAll I know is that something needs to be done about all of the municipalities in the area down like the article said. If it was that bad in Ferguson and it wasn't even one of the top five worst cities, then there needs to be major change. The Justice Department is definitely doing their job looking into this and try to find a solution. But as the article said there are many things that have either not been discussed yet or still need to be discovered. The 2.2 million dollars for the fire department is a bit nuts and they should probably look into that as well. The whole situation down there is just simply put a basket case. Everyone is doing so many different things, going off of many different rules and standards. There needs to be a reform and not just for the police, but for the courts, fire departments and all of the municipalities as well. DwDrums789
ReplyDeleteI was so busy posting about all of the changes that I thought would be good for Ferguson that I forgot to mention anything about some of the downfalls or negative aspects of the agreement. Thank you for mentioning them in your post and reminding me of them. I also noticed that the article noted that this agreement has the "potential to cripple the city financially," which is definitely something that needs to be taken into consideration. I agree with you that some things need to be done in order to ensure a better future for the citizens of Ferguson and a better community overall, including the police. I am glad that the agreement discusses police officers having to have community meetings and implement some sort of program to be involved with the city's youth. Building trust and getting involved with people at a younger age seems to have more impact in their behavior in comparison to adulthood, so this is one important change that I think would be great for Ferguson and many other cities. Cards789
DeleteI think that whatever it takes to make the residents of Fergunson feel more comfortable with the department of justice should be taken into consideration. There has just been too much going on because there is no trust, and that goes both ways when it comes to the police and the residents. The proposal of officers having video cameras on them as they do stops should be taken into consideration it could actually protect both sides. Yes the article was very interesting and informative but the end of the day communication between residents and authorities need to take place. I'ts a start and it won't happen overnight. If they can work together and come together as a community they can really change things for the better. Pinky012
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with your statement, if they communicated better a lot of problems could be resolved. Hopefully the officers and residents will be open to listen to whats being said it could truly help bring back together this broken community. Believe012
DeleteI agree it won't happen overnight. Processes such as this one take a very long time to take any roots in the community. As an outsider you can only hope that the changes slowly start to show a fairness that the community is desperately wanting. Cameras are needed and should be mandated across the country in my opinion. Just not body cams. Nearly useless and expensive.
DeleteBuckeyes123
I agree with what you had to say, if the people never trust the police department then nothing is going to change. Having body cameras on the officers will be a great idea because it will show what actually happens and not hear different stories. It will not happen overnight, but if they do it correctly then it will happen at some point.
Deletebamboo456
The video and article informed me of information that I was not aware of pertinent to Ferguson. Although many of us have heard many different things about Ferguson and seen some of the action occurring on the news, but this article helped to shed a more realistic light on Ferguson. After reading about the potential changes that would come with the agreement between the city and U.S. Justice Department, I am inclined to support the changes that would be made. The main focus of the agreement is to build community trust, increase transparency, and strengthen accountability. The article also mentioned that the decree would include things such as having to install cameras and microphones on cops and cop cars, the municipal court considering the ability to pay a fine before punishing a person, officers must have a warrant before seizing recordings or viewing contents of a recording device, and officers will also be required to have several meetings with the community to build trust and also implement long-term programs in order to interact with Ferguson's youth, just to name a few. After reading only a short summary of what the agreement would accomplish if passed, I believe that their approach to the actual issues within Ferguson are appropriate and that the changes being discussed within the agreement are changes that need to be made within the city. As we discussed in class, when states began to unfairly use the death penalty, they were no longer able to use it because they were found to be unjust in the decision-making. In like manner, when the police and municipal courts disappointed a majority of the city because of the Michael Brown case, they should be held responsible and persuaded to begin reformation of the system. Cards789
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think all the changes that they stated would only help with trust and the relationship between the police and the community. I also believe that there is going to have to be a lot more than just the things stated in the article to change the relationship in Ferguson. New rules and regulations only go so far. The citizens and the cops all need to start treating each other with equal respect, and that's the only way to start building a better community relationship with the police. dangkids123
DeleteThis article was very informative. For the most part I thought that some of the problems in Ferguson had been resolved but that clearly is not the case, it seems like problems just continue to arise as they are being addressed. In the article it says that the justice system and the people of Ferguson are trying to find a compromise so that everyone is happy but I don’t really see it that way. What I got from the article is that there is a lot of trouble with money and neither of the groups seem to be happy with the situation. One part that caught my eye in the article is probably when one of the Reps. Said if they’d conducted themselves better manner they wouldn’t be in this positon that’s not verbatim what was in the article but I feel like this statement should go for either party. The justice department should act accordingly and not abuse the power that they have and the protesters should protest peacefully, but how do you do that when you’re afraid of the people that are supposed to protect you? How are you supposed to respond? I hope that this whole situation gets resolved and that either party can continue to grow together instead of separate. Believe012
ReplyDeleteThis article was pretty straight forward. Its that people move to Ferguson City because it a good place to be in. But I dont' understand why the police department treat some people differently, for an example the criminal system targets the poor and the African Americans as the laddie said in the video. How can the place be such a good place when the police system over there treating those better than they should. In order for it to be better.The police department needs to be addressed. It might be an amazing place to be in but I think it need a lot of work to be better. Shakalaka012
ReplyDeleteI agree with you for the most part, but I think that when the police are in a area where most the people in that community are African American it is easy for every one to assume the police are targeting that race. I think that the police department may have a few bad apples, but it's hard to tell unless we are put in the situations them officers are day to day.
DeleteGRUNT123
The video was very informative I agree that it was straight to the point. But the police sometimes can treat people differently with out even knowing it. Elite123
DeleteThis video was very informative, I think that Ferguson has a long way to go with the rebuilding of the town and all the harm that came with everything that had happened. I also think that its going to take a long time for the police department to reestablish trust with the community again. I think the idea to pay less for certain fines is a great idea depending on the individual’s ability to pay the fines of things like speeding and parking tickets, most of the population in Ferguson are lower income people and not being able pay big fines could put them in jail or have to pay even more to the courts. So for Ferguson to look into ways to maybe make the fines somewhat cheaper is a great idea in my eyes. I think the road ahead for the police in Ferguson will be a long road ahead and I think the police department getting microphones and better cameras on the patrol cars will greatly help them in the future.
ReplyDeleteGRUNT123
This is a story of government gone wrong rather than merely a law enforcement issue. The draft decree took months of negotiating to reach an agreement, but the city council will vote on this in two weeks. What is the rush? It may take that long to get copies, summaries and reviews in the hands of citizens for discussion. Since they are going to pay the cost of implementation, they should be given ample time for review and approval. Additional tax measures are planned, presumably to make up for the revenue the courts used to bring in. Given the city finance director had oversight of the courts is it any wonder it was a collection agency and not a “neutral arbiter” of individual rights? Neutral is not an adjective I would describe the current court system, with judicial activism in vogue with courts at all levels. Many levels of government were involved, but it seems no one was held accountable for the mistakes. Maybe one of the solutions is less government, not more. Humvee123
ReplyDeleteI honestly thought that all police vehicles had to have cameras and microphones in them to begin with. How this wasn't a thing to have done already in Ferguson is puzzling. When you have reports of police targeting the poor and racism to begin with before all this bad stuff happened, it would have seemed to be the logical step.
ReplyDeleteUnless they didn't want to really see what the officers were doing in the first place and just kept themselves in the dark on purpose. I do think that giving people a fine that is actually payable to the amount of money they make is a good idea. Pending on what the crime was. If they did something very small then I'd agree a pay scale plan should be implemented. If they do a major crime or something that is serious but still a misdemeanor then it should be adjusted accordingly.
Buckeyes123
I agree with you and there should be cameras and microphones in all the cars. Honestly that could help them out more than they would think. Green123
DeleteI also agree that every police vehicle should have a camera and microphone because a lot of times its a what he said vs what she said argument. And yes they should of had those way before the Brown incident. I also agree that a fine should be implemented on individuals who commit some sort of crime to show them that it isn't okay for anyone to do it.
DeleteExplorer123
I definitely agree that all cars and officers should have both video and sound equipment installed and running at all times. But the problem exists with having the necessary funds to implement these things and keep them running in every department and up to date with current software. Hopefully with the price of technology on the decline as better and better things are being made we can see it used a lot more. Acquainted123
DeleteWe can clearly see that no one is perfect we all make mistakes and we will always make them. This is how we learn from them. We have to make a mistake to be able to learn how to do things the correct way. I feel that there were many things done wrong on both sides of the story and we will never know the real truth because we were not there. But this article was a great and interesting one to read I was able to clear up a few things for myself. Green123
ReplyDeleteThis article was a very interesting read, and i learned a lot from it. The main goal of their proposal as stated in the reading is to: Build community trust, Increase transparency and Strengthen accountability. All of these I completely agree with. It also focuses on changing officer's actual daily functions. Wear working body cameras at all times. Don’t stop people only to check for warrants. Specifically articulate reasonable suspicion and probable cause when writing reports. I always think these are all great ideas as well. Having officers with body cameras that are working at every encounter will certainly clear up any doubt in how the incident actually went down. Their idea for not being able to stop someone just to check for warrants is very important in my opinion. Having this be a set rule will cut down on unnecessary altercations, and it will help with how officers are viewed by the public.Dangkids123
ReplyDeleteThe community policing has been show to help both the community and police department. With the people being active in the community less crime tends to happen and the community feels safer. I think that ferguson would have a major advantage over other communities if they do pass this law and the officers will have more training when it comes to community policing. Instead of the little kids running away when they see the police maybe the kids will run up to them in a trusting way and look to the police for help instead of taking matters into their own hands. I believe that every troubled community or if not every community should have some type of community policing even if it is a neighbor hood watch. This is only the begging to making every community feel safer, it wont just happen over night the community needs to work together to keep the peace.
ReplyDeleteExplorer123
Yes, i do believe that passing this law would benefit their community greatly. The more the community trusts the police officers the more likely they will go to the police than going vigilante. It will also give the police department more training by getting out into the community and bonding with the residents. DeadMan012
DeleteThis article was an interesting one to read. I had mixed emotions while going through; I couldn’t decide whether I mainly agreed or disagreed with the statements that were being made.
ReplyDeleteI agreed with the fact that there should be body cameras on the officers (I believe it’s for their own safety and well-being). I also think that there needs to be some kind of warrant to take and interfere with a taping that may or may not have them in it; that’s still someone’s property. I also agreed with professor John Ammann when he said that this issue is not only about Ferguson and all cities should be accountable for their abuses of power.
I do, however, disagree with the fact that the law enforcement in that area is targeting the black community. The majority of the population in Ferguson is black, so race was quite unnecessary in this instance. I also disagree with the fact that now, since “a black unarmed teenager was shot and killed” (why does race ALWAYS have to be included?), the police force has to bend over backward to avoid any kind of scrutiny that someone may attempt to bring up. This is NOT how policing should be. Police are here to help keep citizens safe and make sure they return home every night.
I do believe that the cost of this proposal is quite excessive, being over $350,000 for just the first year. And while potentially saving $2.2 million annually if the fire department were to become a fire protection district, Ferguson would be in a world of hurt the first time someone needs the firefighters and they’re busy on another call. Gators123
This is a very interesting video Ferguson has been a topic on a lot of people minds for quite some time now. The proposal could be very good how ever there is a good chance it won't work out the way they are intending it to. I think ever since "Ferguson" happened Ferguson will always be labeled as a dangerous place to live or even be. With this proposal I do believe that they are lowering the harshness of how they treat there lower class citizens. The night that "Ferguson" happened I do believe that something had to be done, however the extremes they went to I don't think was necessary. The video to me was hard to follow I have never been a big fan of any news station however this one was very informative it gave us the points that we needed and no unnecessary garbage. Elite123
ReplyDeleteThis video did a pretty good job explaining everything people have had questions about. Ferguson has has a lot of people worried about the community there and that is from the outside looking in as well. Although the damage has already been done there are ways things can be fixed. Building a strong relationship with the community between law enforcement and everyone else should really be priority number one. This whole situation has put a lot of suspicion and mistrust behind the police force, and while some of it is for good reason, I can guarantee that not every officer on that force has bad intentions. Body cameras for every officer is a great start and puts some fears to rest, but as it has been proven, recordings are not magical tools that fix all the problems, they aren't 100% effective and they come with a very hefty price-tag. Acquainted123
ReplyDeleteI agree. I think Ferguson officers and residents really are making a good effort at making the city great again. There is so much mistrust between the Officers and the citizens in which case its going to be a very long process. Its nice to see that people are working in the right direction to achieve this. gabegun123
DeleteVery informative video. It gives you a little behind the scenes of what is going on now. I like that Ferguson residents are starting to get together and are in the works of making Ferguson a great city again. They talked about some of the proposals that are being looked at and a few of them seemed to be very reasonable. The one I remember most was them talking about how they want to put cameras on all officers so they can keep track of what police are doing while on duty. This is a good proposal in many ways. First, its good because officers will be more aware of what they are doing and will act in a more professional manner. Second, it will make the people of Ferguson feel safe again because they will know that officers are being supervised. Many of the minority citizens that live there still feel unsafe in Ferguson so this could help put an end to that. gabegun123
ReplyDeleteI agree with the police having a search warrant before seizing any type of personal property. I also agree that not every police officer does not abide by their oath and guidelines, if this were so we'd be living in a perfect world and guess what we don't. So here's the deal, yes not every protester was being non violent, I mean we all saw the news reals and such, and yes I know the media wants us to see only what they want but you cant fake live news. Many of the protests in Ferguson were violent, when you have people starting fires, looting stores and getting into fights on the street, just because of the color of their skin or any reason at all is just not right. Granted it is hard to distinguish who is doing what and what is being done in a mob and the police may have did some questionable things, but in all reality I think rioting, yes rioting because that's what it was in many cases needs to be addressed. Not only to protect and serve innocent bystanders, but also the rioters and protesters as well. Now there are many different subjects to address in this case, plain and simple it never should have happened, and I'll leave on this question, who in their right mind would purpose an disbanding of a police department in such a clear powder keg? I wish their was one way we could all just coexist without problem. MuayThaiGuy012
ReplyDeleteThis article was very informative giving information that I did not know. I do not think that it was fair for them only to give the residents a short amount of time to read the 131-page proposed consent decree between the city and the U.S Justice department. It does not come to a surprise that officers took advantage of what they had in Ferguson because most of the people there are poor and will not act out against officers. The cost of body cams on officers would be a great investment because I believe every officer should have one on. It allows people to see what actually went down in the situation by showing video evidence, so an officer cannot lie his way out. Also, giving out tickets to people cannot afford it makes them not go to the court hearing; therefore, they have an arrest warrant out for them making it worse. I think the agreement is a good thing, but it cost too much money that the city and the people cannot afford. I think that the people should have had a say in what the agreement said and not just given a short amount of time to look over it.
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I found this article to be quite informative. It is nice to see that they are taking action on this. And that they are covering everything within Ferguson's police department to end discrimination against African Americans. I do agree with the fact that the Ferguson officers did abuse their power by seizing recording equipment without a warrant to search. As the article said, Ferguson is not the worst city with racial tension, and they should also have the hammer brought down on them. DeadMan456
ReplyDeleteThe reaction to this case was somewhat justified. I can say that if I was there I would be mad too. The officers were taking advantage of the financial situation the city was in to get arrest warrants on people for speeding tickets they couldn't pay for. However, some of the peoples responses to this were not right. They looted stores, set things on fire, and started fights. It was unnecessary violence that caused damages they had to pay for. The city is already poor and they then had to cover the damages plus paying for the POV cameras given to the officers. DeadMan012
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean by the case was justified it was nowhere near justified. An inicent Black teen was gunned down by an cop and nothing was done to the cop.How was that justified.Just because he a black male doesnt mean he was armed or dangerous ( stereotyped). Also there were witnesses around saying brown wasn't in the wrong but they do not care about that. Also brown was shot 6 times twice in the head let get serious that was unnecessary Wilson went overboard and you know it.If this was your family member would ou feel like this case was justified.sshaylavon789
DeleteI remember some video on Facebook about this. There is a lot of information in this article it is a lot to take in all at once. I really wish the site was working one of the first two times I was trying to read it. The way I am taking this is that they are raising the taxes in a lower economic city. They are also adding new policies and on top of it all getting rid of the fire services which saves money but lowers the speed of fire response because instead of fire personal on duty at the fire station they would be volunteer at home so they have to get going then stop get the fire truck and get going again. You have to give them some credit though they get up in the middle of the night to help someone they don’t know not to get paid much if at all. So when fires happen the damage to the property is going to be greater because of slower response times putting more strain on the people. Further enforcing poverty. TAGTaylor33012
ReplyDeleteThe proposal that the article brings forth is just, fair, and practical. There is a large amount of evidence that accuses the city and the county of policing to turn a profit. The media may have blown it out of proportion, but it is true and relevant. Police should not be used as a tool to generate revenue. This could give all police departments a bad name, or at the very least make people wary of the police. The city should raise money the logical way, by increasing taxes. The article states that the city proposed to raise taxes to combat this problem. The Ferguson officers should also be lectured on public relations and trained to deal with civilians in a calmer fashion. This is part of community policing; which Ferguson needs to focus on. I also understand the call for body cameras and the use of technology and training to recreate public confidence in the police. Overall Ferguson still has a ways to go before they will be able to claim the support of the public.
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OK this was a bit much to Indore at once. but i gain a lot of knowledge from it, even though some agree with and some stuff I do not. For an example they shouldn't be able to search your or your belongings without your permission or a warrant. Also have a legit reason to pull you over,not just because you an African American man driven a nice car. Ferguson is a jacked up city to stay in , since the death of Micheal Brown. I feel like if more of the residents in Ferguson would of stood up it could of been a change. That camera situation is going to be a joke, they going to have every excuse why the camera wasn't on. All we can do is leave it to the man above.shaylavon789
ReplyDeleteVery interesting article; even more interesting topic. I personally believe that it is very hard for us to judge exactly what is going on in Ferguson - simply because we do not live there, nor do we live in a society even close to there's. After taking many criminal justice courses, I have begun looking at news stories such as this through the lens of a law enforcer's prospective - however, if we look at the facts and photos of what is happening in Ferguson, it may be easier to argue the opposite way. Many of these law enforcement officer's are not properly trained with the military equipment that they are being given access to. For us to judge those living those in Ferguson simply based on photos of riots is ridiculous - it is almost as if we are reliving the past. In years leaving up to 1992, many Americans believed we didn't have a problem too - and then riots occurred proceeding the evidence and trails of Rodney King. These issues were un-faced until cold, hard evidence was provided; and even then, no police officer was found guilty. Now, I am not saying officers in Ferguson are guilty of any crimes - however, it is not right for us to assume we know everything that is truly going on. We cannot put ourselves in the shoes of those living in Ferguson. JimHalpert012
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