Timeline for one of America’s worst police departments:
August 9, 2014: Ferguson cop Darren Wilson kills black teenager Michael Brown. Later that evening, a cop allows his dog to urinate on a makeshift memorial, inflaming gathering crowds.
August 10-12, 2014: Police respond to protests by deploying armored vehicles, SWAT teams, police in riot gear, aiming guns at protesters, and firing tear gas and rubber bullets into generally peaceful crowds.
August 13, 2014: Police brutalize and arrest journalists covering Ferguson protests. According to Wikipedia, “Tom Jackson, the Ferguson police chief denied any suppression of the media. U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the First Amendment violations, saying … ‘police should not be bullying or arresting journalists who are just trying to do their jobs and report to the American people on what they see on the ground.'”
August 14, 2014: Missouri’s governor assigns Missouri State Police to take over crowd control from Ferguson and St. Louis County police.
October 29, 2014: Jackson denies rumors he’s planning to resign.
November 14, 2014: Jackson tells the media he’ll return Wilson to duty “immediately” if he isn’t indicted.
November 24, 2014: Grand jury refuses to indict Wilson.
March 5, 2015: U.S. Department of Justice issues scathing report on Ferguson police department.
March 6, 2015: Two of Ferguson’s senior police commanders resign for sending racist e-mails. The city’s court clerk was fired earlier in the week for the same reason. The mayor refuses to speculate about Jackson’s future and says, “He’s still the chief.” I don’t see how he can remain in that position after what’s happened on his watch.
