ST. LOUIS — A federal investigation into the police killing of an unarmed, black 18-year-old in Ferguson, Mo., lays bare what officials contend are racist, profit-driven law enforcement practices in the small St. Louis suburb.
While the Department of Justice cleared Officer Darren Wilson of federal civil rights charges in the August death of Michael Brown, it also called for sweeping changes in a city where officers trade racist emails, issue tickets mostly to black drivers that generate millions of dollars in revenue, and routinely use what investigators called excessive force on people stopped for minor or non-existent offenses.
Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday that the department "found a community that was deeply polarized; a community where deep distrust and hostility often characterized interactions between police and area residents."
Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III said steps are already being taken to correct problems.
"We must do better not only as a city, but as a state and a country," Knowles said.
The shooting of Brown sparked a national dialogue on race and law enforcement. Separate federal investigations into the shooting and the police department began soon after Brown was killed.
In pairing the announcements on the investigations' results, the Obama administration sought to offset community disappointment over the conclusion that the shooting was legally justified with a message of hope for Ferguson's majority-black citizens.
Officials announced 26 recommendations, including training officers in how to de-escalate confrontations and banning the use of ticketing and arrest quotas.
Wilson was cleared in November by a state grand jury, a decision that set off protests, looting and fires. The federal report concurred that there was no evidence to disprove Wilson's testimony that he feared for his safety. Nor were there reliable witness accounts to establish that Brown had his hands up in surrender when he was shot, Justice Department lawyers said.
Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
