Ferguson has reached a tentative agreement with the U.S. Justice Department on reforms in the police department and court system. The deal includes changes to municipal courts, police training and procedure and civilian oversight.
Ferguson is closer to settling with U.S. Justice Department
Under the agreement, all patrol officers, supervisors and jail workers will be required to wear body cameras and microphones and cameras will be installed inside police squad cars. The cameras are to be activated for all traffic stops, arrests, searches and people with a possible mental health crisis.
The city agrees to change its municipal code that authorized jail for people who fail to pay fines.
The plan also includes more thorough training of police officers and changes the city’s use of force protocol.
The Justice Department opened an investigation after the August 2014 shooting death of Michael Brown Junior by police officer Darren Wilson.
The Department determined last year that the Ferguson Police Department had demonstrated a “pattern and practice” of discrimination against African-Americans, targeting them disproportionately for traffic stops, use of force and jail sentences.
The city of Ferguson is planning to hold three public hearings in early February, to allow people to comment on the proposed agreement.
