Ferguson Police Department Investigation Mission
Ferguson city is a classic definition of abrogation of the principle of separation of powers. Basing my argument on the city governance structure, the City Manager elected together with six other individuals termed as the executive implement the City Bi-laws. Under its docket, the City Manager has unchecked powers of appointing the Chief Police Officer, and the Principle Prosecutor in the Municipal courts[1].
The unclear definition and separation of roles under this governance structure, give the City Manager and City officials authority to exploit the principle of separation of powers. By dictating to the Municipal officials both in the Police Department and in the Judiciary how they are to run their affairs, in various dockets to achieve a specific objective.
In essence, the City Manager gives directives on who to arrest, prosecute, and the number of fines and court charges imposed. By imposing pressure on Municipal Finance Director, the prosecutors, and the police to make arrests regardless whether you have committed a crime or not, was a tactic aimed at raising revenue from the same process especially by targeting the African-Americans who were the majority in the City[2].
The police Department is tailored and set by the leadership of the City to collect revenue. By imposing pressure on the police department, the police officers use brutality in achieving the same in total disregard to the rule of natural justice and the rule of law. In the report on the {Investigation of Ferguson Police Department 2015}, the Finance director writes to the Chief Police Officer and notes “Unless Ticket writing ramps up significantly before the end of the year, it will be hard to raise revenue next year significantly”. In line with his mandate to update the City Leadership, the same finance director writes to the City manager and notes that “the court fine to rise at 7.5% in the same period. In reliance on the above analysis, it is clear that the Ferguson Police Department main objective is to be used by the city leadership to exploit, violate and infringe the rights of the netizens with a sole purpose to achieve revenue.
The rule of justice dictates that every accused individual has the right to be heard and accorded fair judgement as per the crime committed. The kind of kangaroo model of administration of justice in total disregard to the rule of natural justice is an infringement of the rights of an accused person. The law is as a deterrent mechanism aimed at providing a conducive environment for citizens of a particular residence to coexist peacefully. The total disregard of the vice a specific law is to cure and imposing another penalty on an accused person amounts to a violation of the constitution.
In recognizance of the fact that money plays an integral part in the wellbeing of humanity. The availability of incentives and the motivation of earning an extra coin in terms of working overtime boosted their morale. It is, however, worth to note, the FPD comprise of the purely white minority, it presented a perfect opportunity for FPD to exercise and demonstrate the white race supremacy over the black race. On the contrary, the FPD morale was undermined, by the fact that the leadership-imposed revenue collection targets on them. In total disregard to working conditions, and respect to their opinions in terms of the implementation of the same.
Because of the above mentioned, what is the constitutional mandate of the police department in the administration of justice? Is the Ferguson police department in tandem with its legal order?
[1] Ferguson Charter Chapter 4.1
[2] Ferguson Municipal Code Section 13-2