Ferguson PD and Race - MO AG's 2013 Report

[n david]

Has the Ferguson PD had issues with race long before this shooting? Residents say they did. And at first glance, the MO AG's report appears to the Ferguson PD disproportionately pulled over and arrested more blacks than whites.

The Missouri Attorney General's annual report last year showed that blacks were pulled over almost 7 (SEVEN) times more than whites. (4,632 vs 686)

Add to that the fact that blacks were arrested 14 times more than whites. (483 vs 36)

Interestingly, of the 686 whites pulled over, over 34% had contraband; whereas, of the 4,632 blacks pulled over, only 21% had contraband.

However, you also need to consider the demographics of Ferguson. It's a city of *21,000 residents (of which, ^15,865 are age 16 and over). Of those 21,000 residents, *67.4% are black and *29.3% are white, leaving 3.3% other races. That means there are, approximately, 14,154 blacks and 6,153 whites who live in Ferguson.

(*2010 Census | ^2013 AG Report)

Using those numbers, 33% of black drivers were pulled over, compared to 11% of white drivers. While the percentages and numbers appear high, I don't believe they show the Ferguson PD targets black drivers. When the population is over twice as many blacks than whites, the odds are that more blacks will be pulled over than whites.


Links:
WaPo Story

MO AG Report

Second WaPo Story

Ferguson Wiki Demographics

[n david]

Another thing to consider is how these traffic stops occured, and whether or not Ferguson PD patroled black neighborhoods more than white neighborhoods. If that's the case, then there's a problem. Unfortunately, the AG's report doesn't catalogue where this stops occured, nor is there any information available which would prove whether or not this is the case.

[Originalist]

I'd like to know the racial demographics of the police force as well. When it comes out the cop involved was not white, I wonder if they'll refer to him as a "white black cop".

[n david]

Ferguson’s police chief and mayor are white. Of the six City Council members, one is black. The local school board has six white members and one Latino. Of the 53 commissioned officers on the police force, three are black, said Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson.

I would imagine the next election will change the demographics of the Mayor's office, as well as the City Council for sure.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by Originalist

I'd like to know the racial demographics of the police force as well. When it comes out the cop involved was not white, I wonder if they'll refer to him as a "white black cop".

With all of the apparent eye witnesses, as this tragedy happened in broad daylight, I doubt sincerely that the LEO in question is black. I think we would have heard that by now.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by Originalist

I'd like to know the racial demographics of the police force as well. When it comes out the cop involved was not white, I wonder if they'll refer to him as a "white black cop".

I believe they have 3 black police officers.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by n david

Another thing to consider is how these traffic stops occured, and whether or not Ferguson PD patroled black neighborhoods more than white neighborhoods. If that's the case, then there's a problem. Unfortunately, the AG's report doesn't catalogue where this stops occured, nor is there any information available which would prove whether or not this is the case.

Disagree with you bud.

Hopefully, they patrolled the problem areas more than the non-problem areas, regardless of the racial make-up of the neighborhood.

If the "black part of town" has more crimes, issues, etc, then I would expect to see more patrols in the area that has more crime, regardless of the racial make-up of the area.

[n david]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

Disagree with you bud.

Hopefully, they patrolled the problem areas more than the non-problem areas, regardless of the racial make-up of the neighborhood.

If the "black part of town" has more crimes, issues, etc, then I would expect to see more patrols in the area that has more crime, regardless of the racial make-up of the area.

Obviously if there's an area with more crime I'd hope the police department would patrol that area. My comment was in general...if the FPD are patroling or hanging out in black neighborhoods the majority of the time, without any criminal data as a reason to do so...

[Jermyn Davidson]

Something else that I had a bad gut feeling about is what I perceived to be a severely heavy-handed response by local police in Ferguson to what is happening there.

http://news.yahoo.com/enough-enough-...024347216.html



I heard about their use of concussion grenades against protesters and rioters two nights ago.

We used concussion grenades in combat on genuine terrorists and never in my wildest mind would I find it necessary to use them in a protest situation. They're not even designed for that!

At this point, I have more sadness than anger and I am hoping the Feds step in even more so and end the madness that's going on as the local authorities appear to be, inefficient-- though I could probably think of a couple other words to describe their handling of all this.

[Jermyn Davidson]

I guess they didn't learn about Kent State when they were in school.


You only point your weapons at people you INTEND to shoot.


I would think that the would be strong evidence of the police mishandling a situation like this long before a situation like this gets so out of hand that the only appropriate response is to shoot unarmed protesters.


Even if you decide to aim tanks and machine guns and grenades and rioters-- you're aiming TANKS, MACHINE GUNS AND GRENADES AT RIOTERS!

These are weapons of war!