Here’s a really, honest, sincere question: Aside from people who own at least one article of clothing with a Confederate Battle Flag on it…does the Ferguson PD even have any supporters left? No, really. Because fox and O’Reilly have been conspicuously silent on the matter lately, and even the majority of the conservative internet trolls have fallen silent. Trust us, we know all of them. It’s getting harder to be a Michael Brown antagonist in 2014 than it was a Michael Jackson supporter in 2004.
Alas, it seems not even Ferguson’s Chief of Police can keep moonwalking his way out of this spotlight forever. In a video address first broadcast by CNN, chief Thomas Jackson apologized to the parents of Michael Brown.
“No one who has not experienced the loss of a child can understand what you’re feeling I am truly sorry for the loss of your son. I’m also sorry that it took so long to remove Michael from the street.”
He also apologized to the protesters, in regard to the way they’d been treated (read, beaten) by police.
“The right of the people to peacefully assemble is what the police are here to protect. If anyone who was peacefully exercising that right is upset and angry, I feel responsible and I’m sorry.”
Yes, Chief Jackson doesn’t care if you’re black or white. He’s just sorry for everything; though he has yet to mention whether or not he’s sorry for releasing the video tape of Brown allegedly robbing the convenience store. An oddly timed decision which, he claims, he had no control over.
This video comes right on the heels of another major revelation in the Brown case: That Ferguson PD, notably Jackson himself, violated Police Department procedure by not filling out a use-of-force report after Wilson murdered Brown in the street. Or, maybe that’s not entirely accurate.
When Yahoo News contacted Ferguson Clerk Megan Asikainen about the record, she told Yahoo that it didn’t exist. Which could mean that it was never filled out, or it could mean that it was filled out, and has since disappeared.
But there’s no way Jackson himself could have known about one silly form requirement buried deep in the 770-page police department general orders. Could he? Funny thing about that.
The written directive to file that form was written and signed by Chief Jackson HIMSELF less than four years ago. Because, as the directive states:
“…early and accurate reporting helps establish agency credibility.”
In other words:
“A guilty man is smart to wait till discovery of evidence to give a statement. The DA may not get the clues you left behind him — he’s got no way of knowing the suspect, or what to expect, unless you tell him.”
So, it looks like the Ferguson PD is pretty well past the point of throwing stones to hide its hands. And if Chief Jackson’s “apology” is any indication, then we’d have to guess that the word is out they’ve been doing wrong, and we’re going to lock someone up before too long.
Looks like the writing’s on the wall for this police department.
