Ferguson Police Department (Missouri)
| Ferguson Police Department | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | FPD |
| Motto | "Ferguson's Finest!" |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1894 |
| Employees | 72 |
| Annual budget | $5,282,900 USD (2014) |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Ferguson, Missouri, United States |
 | |
| Map of Ferguson Police Department's jurisdiction | |
| Population | 21,203 (2014) |
| Legal jurisdiction | Ferguson, Missouri |
| Governing body | County Council |
| Constituting instrument |
|
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | 222 S. Florissant Road |
| Sworn members | 54 |
| Unsworn members | 18 |
| Agency executives | |
| Facilities | |
| Detention Centers | Ferguson Detention Center 222 S. Florissant Road |
| Marked and Unmarkeds | Chevrolet Impala and Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor and Chevrolet Tahoe |
| Horses | 2 |
| Dogs | 4 German Shepherds |
| Website | |
| Ferguson Police Department official website | |
The Ferguson Police Department is a law enforcement agency serving Ferguson, Missouri. The current chief is Colonel Thomas Jackson.[1]
Personnel
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2014) |
The Ferguson Police Department includes 82 personnel including 54 commissioned officers and 20 civilian support staff. The officers are all police academy graduates and are certified peace officers by the Missouri Department of Public Safety.[citation needed]
Three supervisors as well as the chief are graduates of the FBI National Academy. Many officers have bachelors or advanced degrees. All officers participate in advanced continuous training in numerous areas of law enforcement.[citation needed]
In addition to uniform patrol officers and criminal investigation detectives, the department is supplemented with a 4 K-9 officers, bicycle patrol, traffic unit, a fugitive apprehension team, and a team of officers assigned directly to residential areas. The department has its own correctional facility, maintains evidence and property, and on-site indoor firearms range.
The department's relationship with the community is enhanced by commitment of personnel to the positions of community relations, business liaison, N.E.T., Drug Abuse Resistance Education ("DARE"), and school resource officers.
History
In 2009, [when?]officers mistakenly arrested Henry Davis based on an outstanding warrant for another man with the same name. While in custody, Davis was allegedly beaten by four officers. Davis was charged with "property damage" for bleeding on the officers' uniforms.[2]
Between July 2009 and December 2010, Eddie Boyd III was hired as a police officer by the department. Boyd had previously been fired from the Saint Louis Police Department after that department had to pay $35,000 in a lawsuit resulting from Boyd beating a young man he was attempting to arrest.[3]
In September 2011, a Ferguson police officer tasered a mentally ill man, Jason Moore, after Moore ran down the street yelling and pounding on cars. When Moore failed to respond to commands to get on the ground, he was tasered twice more, then stopped breathing. His family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Ferguson Police Department.[4]
2014 police shooting
On August 9, 2014, Darren Wilson, member of the Ferguson Police Department shot and killed an African American teenager named Michael Brown.[5] The department stated that Brown was shot after attempting to take the officer's gun.[6] Several witnesses stated that Brown had his hands in the air when he was shot by police.[7][8][9][10][11] A friend of Wilson's told a call-in show that Brown rushed the officer.[12]
A protest by the residents of the city of Ferguson was held on August 10, 2014. After dark, a riot broke out. Police arrested 32 individuals for rioting and looting. Those arrested face charges that include larceny, assault, and burglary.[6] The FBI has stepped in to investigate the shooting.[13] The department was widely criticized for its handling of the aftermath, including the arrests of journalists for The Washington Post and The Huffington Post.[14]
Ranks
The FPD uses the following ranks, as dictated by State Statute.[15]
| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Chief of Police |  |
| Assistant Police Chief |  |
| Lieutenant Colonel |  |
| Major |  |
| Captain |  |
| Lieutenant |  |
| Sergeant |  |
| Detective |  |
| Police Officer | |
| Probationary Police Officer | |
Dispatches
- The Kinloch Fire Protection District is dispatched by the Ferguson Fire Department.
- The Calverton Park Police Department is dispatched by the Ferguson Police Department.
References
- ^ Zagier, Alan Scher (August 10, 2014). "Missouri crowd after shooting: 'Kill the police'". Associated Press. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
- ^ http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/15/the-day-ferguson-cops-were-caught-in-a-bloody-lie.html
- ^ Matt Sledge, "Ferguson Hired Officer With History Of Allegedly Hitting Children", Huffington Post, August 19, 2014.
- ^ John Eligon and Michael S. Schmidt, "In Ferguson, Scrutiny on Police Is Growing", New York Times, August 20, 2014.
- ^ "Killing of black Missouri man, Michael Brown, draws criticism". Newsday. Associated Press. August 10, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
- ^ a b "Protests near St. Louis continue for slain teen after riot, arrests". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, IL. August 11, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/13/ferguson-police-race-brown-killing/14030889/
- ^ McLaughlin, Eliott C. (August 15, 2014), "What we know about Michael Brown's shooting", CNN, retrieved August 21, 2014,
and he turned around and he put his hands up
- ^ "Police, protesters clash; 2 people taken to hospital with gunshot wounds", Q13 Fox News, August 18, 2014, retrieved August 21, 2014,
Several witnesses said Brown raised his hands and was not attacking the officer.
- ^ Culley, Vera (August 14, 2014), "Witnesses to Michael Brown's shooting detail his last minutes", Fox2Now, retrieved August 21, 2014,
Then he faced the officer and put his hands in the air, but the officer kept firing, both women said.
- ^ "Dueling narratives in Michael Brown shooting", CNN, August 20, 2014, retrieved August 21, 2014,
He took a step or two towards the officer but did not charge him, Brady said.
- ^ "Dueling narratives in Michael Brown shooting", CNN, August 20, 2014, retrieved August 21, 2014,
rushed at the officer at full speed
- ^ http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fbi-investigating-ferguson-police-shooting-teen-michael-brown-n177761/
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/13/ferguson-police-race-brown-killing/14030889/
- ^ "Chapter 84, Section 84.150: Police Departments in St. Louis and Kansas City". Missouri Revised Statutes. Missouri General Assembly. August 28, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2014.