Ferguson, MO

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by AGDee

It has always been my understanding that any time an officer discharges his weapon an investigation is done. It has already been announced that the state police or some other entity is doing said investigation. I don't know why people would think the police wouldn't do it in a fair and unbiased manner.

Because of historical and contemporary fear and distrust of law enforcement and other predominantly white male institutions. There are plenty of incidents in which law enforcement are unfair, biased, and violent towards racial and ethnic minorities. "Community policing" is typically only done in predominantly white communities. Generations of opinion polls and surveys on the police result in whites being the most (and sometimes the only people) pleased, impressed, and trusting of law enforcement. We actually had a taser discussion in a GC thread years ago and racial tension with law enforcement was a topic in that thread.

With that said, it becomes a circular argument to definitively say the police will be unfair and biased every time. On one end, the riots in Ferguson garnered more attention and demand for answers (which reached the federal government) than silent protests, attorneys, and community leaders probably would have garnered. On the other end, the circular argument continues and people will be pissed regardless of the outcome.