College Writing Class Reading Response Needed (2 pages as whole only)

Koran Addo

Sept. 25--FERGUSON -- U.S. Department of Justice officials promised a frustrated group of Ferguson residents Wednesday night that the federal government will take seriously their allegations of racial profiling and brutality at the hands of north St. Louis County law enforcement.

More than 300 people packed into a meeting room at St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley for an update on the federal civil rights investigation Attorney General Eric Holder announced this month in the wake of the fatal shooting Aug. 9 of Michael Brown by Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson.

Holder said the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division will investigate whether Ferguson police have engaged in a pattern of civil rights violations.

Christy Lopez, a Justice Department deputy counsel, reiterated that point Wednesday in front of a mostly calm crowd.

The point of the meeting was to give an update on the Justice Department's investigation and give residents a chance to share their stories with federal investigators in one-on-one sessions.

"We are here to address patterns or practices of police misconduct," Lopez said. She said investigators are looking at "whether people's constitutional rights are being violated on a regular basis."

Lopez said the Justice Department had already made some progress.

One complaint that has come up frequently is that Ferguson police officers don't regularly wear name tags while on duty -- a violation of the department's written policy.

"We wrote a letter to the chief yesterday," Lopez said. "The chief assured us that recommendation will be immediately implemented."

The broader federal investigation, she said, will look at arrest reports, use-of-force reports and interviews with the public to determine whether Ferguson and other area departments have a history of violating civil rights. If a problem is found, Lopez said, the investigation will culminate in a public report that will spell out remedies that Ferguson and other area law enforcement agencies can take to fix the problems.

Lopez said area law enforcement agencies might also be compelled to enter into legally binding consent decrees, through which the court system will hold them accountable.

If there is a law enforcement problem, as alleged by many in North County, Lopez told the crowd, a consent decree would hold agencies to better accountability, better hiring practices and better training.

Much to the frustration of many in the audience, Lopez did not say much about whether the Justice Department was looking specifically into potential misconduct by Wilson.

"We cannot promise a federal indictment, but we can promise a federal investigation," she said.

That wasn't good enough for many people in the crowd.

Jammian Weaver, 35, of the Spanish Lake area, left before the one-on-one sessions.

Weaver, who said police roughed him up as a teenager when he was walking home from work, said he was skeptical of the Justice Department.

"I got no satisfaction tonight," he said. "I wanted to hear answers, and I didn't get that."

Bobby Johnson, 24, of University City, said he was hoping to hear more of what might happen to Wilson.

"If that was me that shot somebody who is unarmed, I'd be arrested on capital murder right away," Johnson said. "I want to know why police get special protection."

Brian Bradley, of Ferguson, said he attended because he wanted to be involved.

"Outsiders have painted Ferguson as this crime-heavy area where whites and blacks don't get along," he said. "I've been here for 26 years, and that's not the case. We do things together out here. Then this happens and outsiders want to paint us as animals and criminals. I'm speaking up for Ferguson. I enjoy living out here."