Ferguson Police Chief Resigns

The police chief of Ferguson, MO has resigned, the latest casualty of a critical report from the Department of Justice on policing and government in the St. Louis suburb.

The New York Times reports that Thomas Jackson has resigned from his position as the head of the Ferguson Police Department and the resignation will take effect March 19. Jackson has been at the center of events in Ferguson since the death of Michael Brown in August. Jackson had been chief of the department for the last five years.

Jackson was sharply criticized for releasing images that seemed to show Brown stealing cigars shortly before Darren Wilson shot and killed him. Critics said the release was character assassination meant to distract from the issue of police violence towards blacks. Some contend that the decision to release the footage was a major contributor to the civil unrest that rocked the area for months after Brown's death.

Jackson is the latest in a long list of Ferguson municipal employees to lose their jobs over a Department of Justice report that showed blacks were targeted by the police in an effort to increase revenue for the city. For example, although white drivers were more likely to be in possession of contraband items, black drivers were accounted for more than 80 percent of traffic stops in Ferguson.

In addition to Jackson, two police supervisors have resigned. The city manager, municipal judge, and highest ranking court clerk have also resigned. The Justice Department report revealed that the supervisors and clerk often made racist jokes and comments via email.

It is unclear what is next for the town of Ferguson, but many believe it is possible that the police department will be closed and policing in Ferguson will be taken over by St. Louis County.