BREAKING: St. Louis County Police are being relieved of their duties.

[MohRokTah]

Shaun King ?@ShaunKing

. @GovJayNixon just confirmed that the State Police & Federal Authorities are going to relieve St. Louis County PD of their duties here.

Tweet

[MineralMan]

1. Good. That sounds like saner people might be

in charge again.

[Aristus]

2. Good. Send in some people who understand the concept of 'Protect And Serve'.

And can spell it...

[billhicks76]

47. No More KKK

They just wear different uniforms in Missouri.

[winter is coming]

3. Good. Now take away their "toys" and those badges they were too chickenshit to display. n/t

[Union Label]

50. Definitely take away their toys

What the fuck ever happened to peace officers? Just about all the cops I see now look like steroid filled goons in military uniforms and act the same way.

[BillZBubb]

4. Great news. Maybe some professionals will now be doing the policing.

[Codeine]

5. Good. And about goddamned time

that adult supervision showed up.

[L0oniX]

6. Now put the suspect cop in jail ...like anyone else!

[Historic NY]

7. Its about G D fricking time governor....

the state police should have been there in the beginning. The locals and the county have lost the ability to be objective & professional.

[malthaussen]

8. Gee, it only took him five days!

So proud of our leadership, me.

-- Mal

[Fred Sanders]

10. Give them credit, please. Relieving an entire police force of 65 is no small matter.

[JJChambers]

23. 1,100

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis_County_Police_Department

Agency overview
Formed 1955
Preceding agency St. Louis County Sheriff's Office
Employees 1,100
Annual budget $87,561,609 (2010)[1]
$87,673,800 (2011)[2] $90,086,400 (2012) [3]

[Fred Sanders]

24. I think 1100 is the county force, not the Ferguson local force. The county are now in charge. Or was

"Of the 53 commissioned officers on the police force, three are black, said Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson."

So, 54.

[JJChambers]

25. No

It is the county force; the county officers are the ones who have been gassing the demonstrators. The county officers are the ones who have been relieved by the Governor.

The Ferguson police department is tiny. Aside from shooting Mr. Brown, they've had little else to do with this. Everything has been done by the county.

[tblue37]

39. And, as I explained in an OP last night, the county police chief

prominently displays a huge confederate flag in his home:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025383267

[freshwest]

64. Very true. I still was hoping for this, but clearly not necessary. Or not appropriate, perhaps:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025381756#post20

That was what Kennedy did, but the riots and the violence came from locals resisting the court rulings and federal laws, making disorder and the law was enforced - as they should have been.

The DOJ is gathering information but cannot, as the McCaskilll thread says, send in the federal authorities on its own.

Looks like the problem of the current police force acting has been resolved for the time being. I'm sure all are glad to see more freedom for the citizens of Ferguson.

I wonder if this will set a legal precedent in order to protect the first amendment rights of protestors by another law enforcement group?

[Fred Sanders]

9. I think the preliminary investigation of the FBI revealed rampant racism.......

[MohRokTah]

11. Wouldn't surprise me.

After the police chief's wife went off on a racist tirade on her Facebook page, you know the husband is worse than she is. Since he heads up a department that is 95% white, I wouldn't be surprised if a sizable percentage of the force are also affiliated with some white supremacist organization or other.

[Skidmore]

14. Agree.

I posted a thread yesterday pointing out that St. Louis is where the headquarters for the supremacist group, Council of Conservative Citizens, which is listed as a hate group by SPLC. Given that there have been other police departments in the nation identified as having officers with links to such groups (Orlando, most recently), it wouldn't surprise me a bit to find that some of these officers are affiliated with such a group.

[Fred Sanders]

16. The appearance of the chief of police on Hannity had to be the last straw.

When he said it was hard finding black applicants for police jobs, I knew who he was then behind the mask.

[hifiguy]

18. Tell us more, Fred. What happened?

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

76. There's not enough steel wool

There's not enough steel wool to scrub me clean after watching FUX. Can't do it any longer.

[Reter]

21. That's the one hate group that is the most dangerous

Why? Because they don't wear hood or display swastikas. They make believe they are mainstream, and even have politicians as their members, or have pols speak at their events. The KKK and the like do not.

[Skidmore]

22. Yep. And they have a long history too.

[FSogol]

15. That wasn't the police chief's wife, that pic of racist woman was from a different state.

Saw that on DU earlier today.

[NuclearDem]

32. No shit statement of the week.

[tblue37]

40. See the image in my reply right above yours. The confederate flag displayed

so proudly in the county police chief's home pretty clear evidence of racism, I think.

(That would be post #39--right above the post <#30> I am replying to, not right above the post right above this post.)

[FSogol]

12. The tipping point, I suspect, was the clowns on the top of their armored police wagons pointing guns

at the unarmed crowd. No one in the local PD could see how bad that looked?

[justiceischeap]

17. I think the tipping point was the "Where's Waldo" inspired twitter hashtag

And Jay Nixon's head being pasted onto Waldo's body. But that's my cynicism slip showing.

[AllyCat]

66. Missed this. Time to do a search.

[kath]

69. Here's an article from Mother Jones's website with Jay Nixon on the cover of the where's Waldo?"book

Last edited Thu Aug 14, 2014, 07:08 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2014/08/where-governor-jay-nixon

[AllyCat]

74. Thank you. I understand.

Talking to seniors in my little city...they are floored at what is happening in MO and out nation. Solidarity with those who are brave and fighting for the rights and justice of all.

[conservaphobe]

13. Glad we didn't wait this long for weaksauce. nt

[WestCoasterDude]

19. Finally!

They should remove these military weapons and heavy equipment from ALL local police agencies. There is NO logical reason for them to be equipped with this war equipment.

[old guy]

51. But...but..what will we do when the Muslins come?

[Enthusiast]

78. They won't come. We are fighting them "over there".

[alcibiades_mystery]

20. About damn time if true

The St. Louis County PD engaged in a police riot last night and needs to be ordered to stand the fuck down.

[Iggo]

26. Ferguson PD's still there,though, right?

[MohRokTah]

27. They're not the ones gassing protesters and journalists.

[Iggo]

30. So the 65 Ferguson guys are like a division of the 1100 St Louis County guys?

Kinda like the Pico Rivera Sheriffs are a division of the L.A. County Sheriffs?

That'd make sense.

[MohRokTah]

31. No, the protesters started and the Ferguson PD pulled in St. Louis County

St. Louis County PD brought in the military style cops and have been gassing and using rubber bullets. Ferguson PD has stood back during this time.

[Iggo]

35. Ah, okay.

[Fred Sanders]

41. Correct, and now the equally racist county police force is getting the boot also.

[bench scientist]

46. According to this article there have been 4 separate police forces involved.

"As the nation's attention is on the aggressive, militarized police response to protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, there's a lot of clamoring for accountability. On Thursday morning, the St. Louis County Police Department, which was in charge of the response to the protests on the night of Wednesday, August 13, was pulled out of Ferguson, and Governor Jay Nixon said that he would be "reframing" the "chain of command" in the city. But you can't understand the police actions in Ferguson — and how much Nixon would need to change in order to keep the situation from continuing to escalate — without understanding this: there are still multiple agencies currently working in Ferguson, and none of them is in charge.( emphasis mine)

Prior to this morning, there were at least four different police departments on the ground in Ferguson at any given time: the Ferguson police themselves, the St. Louis County police (where Ferguson is located), police from the City of St. Louis, and police from the Missouri Highway Patrol. Even after the St. Louis County police were withdrawn on Thursday, that still leaves three agencies. At the press conference Ferguson police chief Tom Jackson held Wednesday — the first press conference since the unrest on Sunday — he was asked who is in charge of making the decision to tear-gas and shoot rubber bullets at protesters and use flashbangs. Jackson's response, at 15:56, is interesting and important: "

full article:
http://www.vox.com/2014/8/14/6002291/ferguson-police-st-louis-county-in-charge-jay-nixon-tear-gas-officer-fired/in/5757650

[MohRokTah]

55. Nobody is in charge, so nobody is accountable.

Who was the genius who thought this shit up?

[bench scientist]

58. exactly, so they can keep getting away with atrocious behavior - nt

[bettyellen]

63. the city of St Louis said they provided only 4 officers to help w traffic control only

and decided not to do more because they did not approve of how it was being handled. Not sure what the state force is doing, but it's their ball game tonight.

[freebrew]

81. St. Louis PD was not there...

the chief of the metro PD refused to support the county actions. Basically called the County inept.

As for the MHP, They seem to be in charge, now. Was not the case yesterday, I think.

The MHP, in my 60 yrs experience, are mostly decent guys. At least on average.

They also know that they are quite in the spotlight here and better behave.

St. Louis County is repub territory, while the City of St. Louis(its own county) is quite Democratic.
The state legislators are constantly doing their best to fuck up the city, even to the detriment of the rest of the state.

Good for Nixon, but should have stepped in sooner.
The County PD should have never been called to investigate, PD problems are most always referred to the state.
Fairly obvious cover-up attempt.

[packman]

82. What's that old saying -

Fleas on fleas on fleas. State-county-town-subdivision ---- we all gotta have our cops.

[avebury]

29. I wonder if the Mayor knew that before

he came out and defended the police department.

[GoCubsGo]

33. Better late than never, I guess.

Wish he would've done something much, much sooner.

[Boom Sound 416]

34. Good. Just saw that they gassed A news crew

Too far.

[samsingh]

36. i hope their pay stops immediately

[randr]

37. This whole episode points out an important thing we need to come to grips with

It is obvious that local police units are being equipped with military gear. Is their interaction at public protests and disturbances to maintain peace and stop rioting and violence? Do they see these situations as a call to duty to serve and protect or are they just an excuse to use the new 'toys' and practice military manuvers against the public?

[cui bono]

49. I just read yesterday tht DHS is spending a lot of money to equip police depts with military gear.

There was a thread about the militarization of police, the article is in Business Insider.

[randr]

61. It started with draconian Drug laws and swat teams

then the DHS started spreading military equipment throughout the land Gotta wonder how much it cost just to train all the weekend warriors.

[Enthusiast]

79. And now it's the militarized police industrial complex.

[tblue37]

38. Good--but what the heck took him so long? nt

[Lex]

42. Ferguson Police?

Are they different--or is that St. Louis County Police?

[bcool]

43. Ferguson is a city within St. Louis County...

...and has its own police force (like lots of other cities in St. Louis County). Some of the other cities are too small (or have internal issues) so they utilize the services of the county police.

[Lex]

52. So which police force was attacking the citizens?

The St. Louis County one?

[Humanist_Activist]

59. Yes, the city didn't have the manpower to do so even if they wanted to...

St. Louis County has over 90 cities within it, Ferguson itself doesn't even make it into the top 10 in population.

[Lex]

60. Thanks. I know it's just a 'burb of St. Louis

but wasn't sure if they (Ferguson PD) were in on the military force last night or not.

[Humanist_Activist]

67. Apparently they stood back and let County take over most operations....

I don't know if any Ferguson officers were involved in the fuckup of last night, its possible, but they only have 53 officers from what I heard.

Even the St. Louis Metro Police has disavowed and criticized the County Police, and they reassured people that they weren't involved in last night's fuckups either.

St. Louis County doesn't have a sheriffs office, just to be clear, that office was eliminated back in the 1950s.

[AgingAmerican]

44. It's about time

Trash all the racist bastards

[zentrum]

45. Could be good but

.....hope it's not the way to get a more competent cover up. My trust for governmental watch dogs is just about zero.

[rocktivity]

48. The governor's idea?

Or did the White House give him a choice choice of doing it or having it done for him?


rocktivity

[Rex]

53. A full review is in order!

Best news I've heard in days!

[LloydS of New London]

54. DUREC!!!

[JCMach1]

56. Looks like the Governor and the Feds are doing the right thing...

The Ferguson police seems to be fully of the rails and out of their freaking minds...

[closeupready]

57. Excellent! K&R

[frazzled]

62. That's not what the governor just said in his press conference

They are being relieved of running the operation (that will now go to the Missouri State Police), but they will still be on the ground. The governor was asked if Ferguson and St Louis County Police would still be involved and he gave an emphatic yes.

[kath]

65. Oh, shit. That's ridiculous.

But it sure does help to create a situation where no one is culpable. Lovely.

[winter is coming]

68. Damn. Another night like last night is the last fucking thing anyone needs. n/t

[tomm2thumbs]

70. "....bbbuut we wanna play with our military toys some more.... pleeeeease can we keep playing??"

that police department was way in over their head -- glad they were shown the door

[Uncle Joe]

71. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, MohRokTah.

[McCamy Taylor]

72. Bout time.

[Cha]

73. St Louis Co PD have been begging for this and they've got it. And, hopefully

there can be Justice for Michael Brown.

Mahalo MRT

[ReRe]

75. K&R

Permanently, I hope.

[JEB]

77. They need to relieved of their weapons and their paychecks.

[marshall]

80. Are they the ones armed to the hilt with Pentagon weaponry?

Hopefully they will lay sown their arms and go home.