United States of America v. City of Ferguson, Missouri
Following the Aug. 9, 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown, the City of Ferguson, Missouri erupted into a series of protests and riots stemming from the years of alleged police discrimination against African American residents. The civil unrest dominated the national news and social media conversation for over a month. In the wake of the unrest, the United States Department of Justice conducted an investigation into the alleged discriminatory practices. The investigators concluded that the City of Ferguson, through the police department, prosecuting attorney's office, and municipal court, engaged in a pattern of discrimination that violated the U.S. Constitution and federal law. The discriminatory activity included stops, searches, and arrests without legal justification, use of excessive force, interference with the right of free expression, all of which targeted African Americans. Further, the City allegedly misused law enforcement authority to generate municipal revenue.
On Feb. 10, 2016, the United States of America filed a complaint against the City in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Eastern Division, pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, 42 U.S.C.S. § 14141, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C.S. § 2000d. The United States alleged that the City engaged in a pattern or practice that violated the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and sought equitable and declaratory relief. The case was assigned to District Judge Catherine D. Perry.
On March 17, 2016, a joint motion for entry of consent decree was filed. In the proposed consent decree, the City agreed to change police department polices as well as how it enforced the Ferguson Municipal Code and resolved municipal charges. The proposed consent decree provided for, among other things, increased opportunities for community engagement, the continued adoption of a community-oriented policing approach, reform of the Ferguson Municipal Code, an increase in the quality and scope of training provided to police department officers and other employees, bias-free policing and court practices, respect by police department personnel of First Amendment rights, general use-of-force requirements, body-worn and in-car cameras, certain recruitment requirements, reform of the municipal court, civilian oversight of the police department, and the selection of an independent monitor. A public hearing on the proposed consent decree was set for April 19, 2016.