Justice Dept: Ferguson Cops Sent Racist Emails, Targeted Blacks

According to a Justice Department report set to be released soon, police officers in Ferguson, Mo., consistently and systematically violated the constitutional rights of the city’s residents by engaging in racially discriminatory policing. In addition, police officers reportedly made racist jokes about black people on their official email accounts.

The report is not limited, though, to the police department, and apparently extended to the city’s municipal courts as well. According to the DoJ, African-Americans were targeted for traffic tickets and fines at a disproportional rate in the majority-black city. 85 percent of traffic stops from 2012 to 2014 were of black citizens, who also made up 93 percent of all arrests during that same period. In addition, 90 percent of all citations 93 percent of jaywalking tickets were against black people.

Perez read a series of racist jokes uncovered from officials’ emails, including one aimed at President Barack Obama.

CNN had reported last month that Holder was considering taking legal action against Ferguson officials before leaving office.

Watch the report below, via CNN:

[Image via screengrab]

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