Ferguson PD.  How many of these officers represent outside jurisdictions?

From MSNBC.com:

Shakeup of Ferguson police force expected

by Trymaine Lee

The first steps in a major shakeup of the Ferguson, Missouri police department – including the resignation of Chief Thomas Jackson – could come as early as next week, according to local and federal officials who’ve been briefed on plans still being worked out by city and state leaders. 

The plan, described by a source with direct knowledge of the plans as “extremely delicate,” said the details are still being hashed out in closed-door meetings between Ferguson city and St. Louis County officials who have sought consultation from the Justice Department, which is conducting a civil rights investigation into the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in August. The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the plan could include not just the resignation of Chief Jackson but the resignation of Officer Darren Wilson, who shot and killed Brown on a Ferguson street, setting the city into weeks of unrest. 

This would, of course, include Officer Darren Wilson who has been found guilty of — wait for it — nothing yet.

First, the website of Ferguson Missouri itself:

Then the website of the Ferguson City PD.  Specifically avoiding any reference to travails whatsoever.

Further, however:

The source who spoke with MSNBC said Chief Jackson and Officer Wilson are expected to be eased out of the Ferguson police force, before what could be a full-scale take over of the Ferguson force by the St. Louis County police.

Eased out.  Despite no conclusions being made on any level for any one in any amount of time.  And yet, simultaneously, Ferguson has no retort and is apparently guilty of any and every accusation made against it directly and peripherally.

Who would I kick to the curb, if you asked me — a law enforcement officer with more than 41 years of experience in the venue?

The Chief would be toastal history.  And my officer would be protected as much as he could.

The Chief, no matter his pay rate, was and is incompetent.  He made too many holdbacks and didn’t grasp the importance of being frank with the media where and when he could.  Because, I suspect, his department was/is generally puerile and susceptible to the ministrations of local and national media that was twenty steps ahead of him at every turn.

You pay your Police Chief to be competent.  Jackson was not.  He Grokked not the concept of the release of information if and when you can.  He Grokked not the concept of approving tac sniper teams pointing long guns at protesters.  And he Grokked not the concept of processing your active crime scene for forensics as rapidly as possible given your unstable surrounding populace.  As a body lie on the ground in the heat.

In a two words — very much like Mr Obola — Jackson was frankly “tone deaf.”

But should his entire department suffer because of his inexperience and lack of 2014 political competence?

No, it should not.  He should go.  No one else.

Further, melanin makes no difference to the police force.  If 50 out of 56 officers have pale skin, that is completely indifferent.  Competence should be the bottom line.

The competence or incompetence of a given agency is not predicated upon the melanin count of its employees — unless, of course, you are the federal government.

Wait.  I tend to make my easy point now.

BZ