WASHINGTON — The police response to unrest in Ferguson, Mo., last summer offers lessons in how not to handle mass demonstrations, according to a Justice Department report that warns such problems could happen in other places roiled by mistrust between law enforcement and the community.
The report fleshes out a draft version made public in June, creating a portrait of poor community-police relations, ineffective communication among the more than 50 law enforcement agencies that responded, police orders that infringed on First Amendment rights, and military-style tactics that antagonized demonstrators.
The final version is to be released Thursday.
The report focuses on the regional police response in the 17 days that followed the Aug. 9, 2014, shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old, by a white police officer. In a detailed chronology, it tracks missteps that began almost immediately after the shooting when police wrongly assumed that crowds would dissipate quickly, withheld information from the public and were slow to grasp community angst over the hours-long presence of Brown’s body in the street.
It details more flaws over the next two weeks, including the improper use of police dogs, armored vehicles and snipers to monitor the crowds; the decision by some officers to remove their nameplates; arbitrary orders to demonstrators to keep moving after five seconds; and poor communication among agencies about which policy to follow and who was in change.
Several law enforcement agencies whose actions were studied said they’ve learned from the events.
Police officers interviewed for the report complained of inconsistent orders from commanders, with some saying “there was no plan in place for arresting people” or that they “were unclear who they could arrest.” Community members, meanwhile, described poor relationships with the police that long predated — and were made worse by — the shooting.
The Justice Department began its review of the regional police response in September 2014 following a request from the St. Louis County police chief. Its report is separate from a Justice Department report from March that was critical of Ferguson police practices and the city’s municipal court system. A grand jury and the Justice Department declined to prosecute white officer Darren Wilson, who later resigned.
