Civil and Human Rights Coalition Responds to Justice Department Investigations into Ferguson Police

WASHINGTON – Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement after the Department of Justice announced the findings of its investigation of the Ferguson, Missouri police department:

“While we are disappointed that the Department of Justice will not charge Officer Darren Wilson, we commend its efforts to investigate the practices of the Ferguson police department and to prioritize the needs of all Americans to live free from discrimination by law enforcement.

The findings of the Civil Rights Division—the existence of racial bias in law enforcement and in the courts, prioritization of revenue generation over equal protection under the law, and placement of undue burdens on African-American communities— are disheartening, but not surprising.

After a similar investigation found deep-seated bias in the operations of Cleveland’s police department late last year, it’s clear that these investigations are necessary nationwide to ensure that police are serving and protecting their communities, not victimizing them. 

We applaud the work of the Justice Department in this investigation and that of police departments across the country that prioritize equal protection under the law for all, regardless of race or class.”

Wade Henderson is the president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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