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Policing Ferguson, Policing America: What Really Happened―and What the Country Can Learn from It
Following the fatal shooting in broad daylight of unarmed African American Michael Brown by a white cop in August 2014, Ferguson, Missouri became the scene of protests that pitted law enforcement against locals and Black Lives matter activists. The media firestorm has not waned, and, in fact, has grown stronger in light of all the recent violence by and against police officers nationwide. According to Ferguson’s former police chief Tom Jackson, the uninformed media actually fans the flames of unrest and exploits the situation: infotainment optics have become more important than truth, while social media spreads the news without providing context.
Policing Ferguson, Policing America
is the book that finally tells the inside story of what happened in Ferguson, and how good guys became the bad guys through media and political distortion.
Pressure is at a boiling point. In 2016, America has been rocked by heart-wrenching fatal shootings of African Americans by police officers in Louisiana and in Minnesota, and by the shootings of police offers in Dallas, Baton Rouge, and Kansas City that left eleven officers dead and a dozen more wounded. To many Americans, the central theme of this continuing bloody story is one of racial injustice and out-of-control policing. Policing Ferguson, Policing America brings common sense and a keen insider’s understanding to a complex story.
Black Lives Matter, and so do the lives of cops. Citizens and law-enforcement professionals alike feel the urgent need for our systems and procedures to change for the better. Few people are in a better position to explore the issues than Chief Jackson. In Policing Ferguson, Policing America , Jackson tells for the first time the real Ferguson story while sharing his thoughts about the steps we can take together to improve all Americans’ lives, and restore the vital trust between the police and the communities they serve. His well-informed recommendations just may improve this dire situation.
Pressure is at a boiling point. In 2016, America has been rocked by heart-wrenching fatal shootings of African Americans by police officers in Louisiana and in Minnesota, and by the shootings of police offers in Dallas, Baton Rouge, and Kansas City that left eleven officers dead and a dozen more wounded. To many Americans, the central theme of this continuing bloody story is one of racial injustice and out-of-control policing. Policing Ferguson, Policing America brings common sense and a keen insider’s understanding to a complex story.
Black Lives Matter, and so do the lives of cops. Citizens and law-enforcement professionals alike feel the urgent need for our systems and procedures to change for the better. Few people are in a better position to explore the issues than Chief Jackson. In Policing Ferguson, Policing America , Jackson tells for the first time the real Ferguson story while sharing his thoughts about the steps we can take together to improve all Americans’ lives, and restore the vital trust between the police and the communities they serve. His well-informed recommendations just may improve this dire situation.
248 pages, Hardcover
Published July 25, 2017
About the author
Thomas Jackson
1 book1 followerThe former Police Chief of Ferguson, Missouri, who oversaw many years of progress in his community until Michael Brown's tragic shooting death. He stepped down in March 2015 but continues to be sought by the media to discuss not only Ferguson, but also officers' and victims' rights, police procedures, and the rash of violence by and against police. Jackson lives in Ferguson, MO.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 10, 2017
As a 27-year resident of Ferguson, I know firsthand that the reports about our town by most media were greatly overblown at best or outright lies at worst. Much of the protest was fanned by and staged for the press, typically by paid protesters who came from out of town. Chief Jackson's account of the protests and issues faced by Ferguson is straightforward and factual, without the emotional hype of the mainstream media. If you want an honest look at what went on here, check out this book.
July 16, 2017
A thoughtful, thought provoking and well written account of what happened in Ferguson. Dual messages come through very clearly.
1. Policing is made incredibly difficult by the confusion over the purpose of policing (is it to deter, detect and apprehend or is it somehow responsible for reducing the causes of crime?)
2. Concern about the "optics" of a situation interfere with the ability to best deal with the situation.
An important read for those struggling to understand what is going on with the state of policing in America. I recommend it.
1. Policing is made incredibly difficult by the confusion over the purpose of policing (is it to deter, detect and apprehend or is it somehow responsible for reducing the causes of crime?)
2. Concern about the "optics" of a situation interfere with the ability to best deal with the situation.
An important read for those struggling to understand what is going on with the state of policing in America. I recommend it.
September 3, 2017
While repetitive and uneven at times, overall this was a very good read. Anyone interested in critically engaging in important social issues should be willing to take in both sides of an issue and this book allows one to do so when it comes to the issue of police/citizen conduct in the US today.
Jackson, being the former police chief of Ferguson, MO has written a book to tell the public what happened from the perspective of his agency. It's compelling and balanced. He refutes many things that have been taken as gospel and also takes ownership of many things that went wrong in April of 2014.
Most interesting is his examination of how social media fanned the flames of Michael Brown's death and how he and his force were unprepared for the power of social media. I think anyone who were to refute this assertion based on their disbelief/ distrust of police officers should step back and remember the presidential election. Social media is a powerful, dangerous thing that doesn't care about facts.
Another high point is Jackson's repeated return to discussions of systemic issues that plague individuals thereby plaguing police forces as well as other government agencies supposedly designed to help individuals.
Lastly, Jackson's inclusion of excerpts from the FBI and DOJ reports about Brown's death is fascinating. The FBI report breaks the incident down in a way that was never apparent from regular media. Not only is this obvious since the FBI was completing an actual in-depth investigation but also a reminder that these reports are PUBLIC RECORD. We need to read them and quit getting our information from social media.
This book provides tremendous perspective to allow someone to keep engaging about these particular incidents of civilian deaths. Context is everything.
Jackson, being the former police chief of Ferguson, MO has written a book to tell the public what happened from the perspective of his agency. It's compelling and balanced. He refutes many things that have been taken as gospel and also takes ownership of many things that went wrong in April of 2014.
Most interesting is his examination of how social media fanned the flames of Michael Brown's death and how he and his force were unprepared for the power of social media. I think anyone who were to refute this assertion based on their disbelief/ distrust of police officers should step back and remember the presidential election. Social media is a powerful, dangerous thing that doesn't care about facts.
Another high point is Jackson's repeated return to discussions of systemic issues that plague individuals thereby plaguing police forces as well as other government agencies supposedly designed to help individuals.
Lastly, Jackson's inclusion of excerpts from the FBI and DOJ reports about Brown's death is fascinating. The FBI report breaks the incident down in a way that was never apparent from regular media. Not only is this obvious since the FBI was completing an actual in-depth investigation but also a reminder that these reports are PUBLIC RECORD. We need to read them and quit getting our information from social media.
This book provides tremendous perspective to allow someone to keep engaging about these particular incidents of civilian deaths. Context is everything.
May 30, 2018
This is awful, discouraging, and deeply self focused. I listened to the audio book hoping that by doing so I might gain a different perspective to the nightmare of what was done in a town I called home for 15 years. I gained next to nothing from this indulgent portrait of self exonerations by Mr. Jackson. He owned no error or fault in the the horrors that gripped Ferguson. He clearly communicated that all optics are false and deliberately misleading. It would be interesting to get a word count on the use of optics, me, I, and mine in this book. Mr. Jackson is a repetitive, self focused, poor me sort of writer. What about the young man lying gunned down in a public street left for hours? Oh, Mr. Jackson is quick to pass the blame for that cruel outrage as well. He did pass the buck with a call to the county who were tied up at another incident. What, Mr. Jackson, no other options, no follow up calls, no other solution seeking, no urgency? Shameful. Also shameful are the descriptions of his own personal militia gathered to protect him and let him rest in his home. Also shameful are the retelling of accolades and the patches distributed to Mr. Jackson by cops from around the world. I am super grateful he isn't America's Police Chief as the author boasts was an endorsement given at a police function. He spent a great deal of time, repeatedly, throwing blame on others, pretty much anyone who didn't stand with him. I agree, the Governor didn't let the buck stop with him and that was also shameful. Still, Mr. Jackson claims Ferguson as his, yet he doesn't ever let the buck stop with him. He owns no blame in his telling. He is wrong and it is horrible. There is no hope in this book. There are no solutions offered. There is no innovation or fresh approach. There is only, "Let cops be cops." Shame on Mr. Jackson. This book made me sad, angry, and lost. How does this change? It is wrong.
August 18, 2017
WOW! The behind-the-scenes story of the Ferguson Riots
This is the book for anyone who wants to know the real story of the events of August 9, 2014 and the aftermath. I have been a resident of Ferguson, MO for over forty years and I remember the incidences, video and reporting like it happened yesterday. I had always thought the media did their best to provide accurate and truthful reporting. The media reports from Ferguson during and after the riots were outrageous, biased examples of irresponsible journalism. If you think you got the real story...you didn't, until now. As Paul Harvey would say, "Now for the rest of the story". Chief Jackson sets the record straight and it is a markedly different story than you got from the DOJ report on Ferguson. I am in awe of Chief Jackson that he was able to perform his duties so well in the face of the massive, insurmountable forces working against him. Hands up! Don't shoot! was and still is a lie. It never happened. The City of Ferguson, Chief Jackson, Officer Darren Wilson and the members of the Ferguson Police Department have been unjustly demonized by those with their own personal agendas.
Thank you Chief Jackson, this is the book I needed.
This is the book for anyone who wants to know the real story of the events of August 9, 2014 and the aftermath. I have been a resident of Ferguson, MO for over forty years and I remember the incidences, video and reporting like it happened yesterday. I had always thought the media did their best to provide accurate and truthful reporting. The media reports from Ferguson during and after the riots were outrageous, biased examples of irresponsible journalism. If you think you got the real story...you didn't, until now. As Paul Harvey would say, "Now for the rest of the story". Chief Jackson sets the record straight and it is a markedly different story than you got from the DOJ report on Ferguson. I am in awe of Chief Jackson that he was able to perform his duties so well in the face of the massive, insurmountable forces working against him. Hands up! Don't shoot! was and still is a lie. It never happened. The City of Ferguson, Chief Jackson, Officer Darren Wilson and the members of the Ferguson Police Department have been unjustly demonized by those with their own personal agendas.
Thank you Chief Jackson, this is the book I needed.
October 24, 2017
Fact based account of modern policing practices and the challenges facing Law Enforcement Officers in this country. Chief Jackson provided a detailed account of how quickly a situation can spin out of control in this new age of technology, social media, and failure to do due diligence before repeating a story, or in this case, a lie. Even if a department has a strong social media presence, unless it’s an army of people, there is no way to counter or keep up with how quickly misinformation can and will spread. It seems that people have no filters these days. It’s so simple to hit that share button and very few seem to even care about the facts or the truth. Additionally, everyone has a camera and anyone can become an instant social media journalist without the proper ethical training to guide them. Officers are not and cannot be the solution to the problems plaguing this country. This is a fascinating behind the scenes look at police work that everyone should read.
March 13, 2019
Politicians looking to advance their career, news media looking to grab the ratings, and overall optics drove many of the decisions surrounding the Michael Brown shooting of man years ago.
This book lays out the consequences of that and explains how if calmer heads had been allowed to do their job, the truth would have come out sooner and with less damage to the community of Ferguson.
It was nice to be able to read the events of those violent months of "peaceful" protesting instead of having to learn about things in sound bites meant to grab headlines and propel careers.
If you want to know what really happened, and what can be learned from these events and applied to similar situations in the future, this is the book.
I gave it only three stars because some portions are repetitive and the writing dull and lifeless at times. The information, though, is spot-on.
This book lays out the consequences of that and explains how if calmer heads had been allowed to do their job, the truth would have come out sooner and with less damage to the community of Ferguson.
It was nice to be able to read the events of those violent months of "peaceful" protesting instead of having to learn about things in sound bites meant to grab headlines and propel careers.
If you want to know what really happened, and what can be learned from these events and applied to similar situations in the future, this is the book.
I gave it only three stars because some portions are repetitive and the writing dull and lifeless at times. The information, though, is spot-on.
January 16, 2019
A co-worker asked me if I wanted to read this book. It isn't something I would have selected on my own, but I took it because I thought it would be interesting and educational to read Chief Jackson's perspective. As a resident of the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area, I shopped, dined and frequented Ferguson. It was a lovely place. I do think it has changed and the Chief's observation that things are different now in that you are on one side or the other (protester or police; white or black, etc.) is very prevalent in the community. Hopefully all sides can come to the table and engage for a better future. It is shameful how state leaders abandoned Ferguson and the cause of law and order for political expediency.
September 24, 2019
I binged read this book. Having grown up In Ferguson during the 50s and 60s, I was fascinated and deeply saddened by the entire the 2014 riots. It is extremely scary how the media controlled the narrative and totally distorted it. The Justice Department made a rush to judgment and refused to look at the evidence. Shame on you, Eric Holder. The FBI report placed blame at the foot of Michael Brown. The whole "hands up, don't shoot" movement was misdirected in this case.
Also, the book sheds light on the difficulty of policing in America, given social issues, ghettoized poverty, and racism, etc.
Also, the book sheds light on the difficulty of policing in America, given social issues, ghettoized poverty, and racism, etc.
August 9, 2020
Outstanding read
Chief Tom Jackson, chief during the events of 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. The book covers the events from the chief's perspective and is very insightful as to mistakes that were made in all sides, the media's failing to use impartial reporting, the "optics" of the event. He includes descriptions of police tactics in these situations . He explains the problems between the civilian population and the police community. A very timely book about a very sad event in our history.
Chief Tom Jackson, chief during the events of 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. The book covers the events from the chief's perspective and is very insightful as to mistakes that were made in all sides, the media's failing to use impartial reporting, the "optics" of the event. He includes descriptions of police tactics in these situations . He explains the problems between the civilian population and the police community. A very timely book about a very sad event in our history.
November 28, 2017
If you have or had an opinion on the shooting of an unarmed young black man in Ferguson on August 9th, 2014 (and seriously, who doesn’t or didn’t?) then it is imperative that you read this book by then-Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson.
February 3, 2019
The police chief gave a very detailed and even handed account of the events in Ferguson, however the writing was rambling and repetitive. I believe a better ghost writer was needed to make it more readable.
August 2, 2017
an honest and thoughtful writing of an event that was politicized and spun out of control.
February 25, 2018
3.5 stars. Very redundant, many things repeated more than necessary. But still an interesting look at the circumstances from the Chief’s perspective.
May 23, 2019
What I liked most about the book was Chief Jackson’s honest account of the political influence made in Ferguson which made a bad situation worse in the end.
December 18, 2021
Very good perspective of a volatile event that provides facts versus fiction. You get behind the scenes information that was either twisted or completely ignored.
March 3, 2023
Long winded and ignorant
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews