Police commander Andre Anderson of Glendale, Arizona will assume the position of interim police chief in Ferguson.
Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III and Interim City Manager Ed Beasley introduced Anderson at a press conference this morning (Wednesday, July 22, 2015).
Anderson will take a six month leave of absence from the Glendale Police Department to assume his duties as interim chief.
Embattled Ferguson Police Chief Thom Jackson resigned in March – seven months after the shooting death of unarmed teen Michael Brown Jr. caused months of unrest and brought global attention to the St. Louis County municipality and was the catalyst for nationwide protests regarding deaths at the hands of law enforcement.
Despite no criminal charges in that case, the incident prompted a Department of Justice review of the city’s treatment of African Americans – which resulted in a scathing report that heavily criticized the Ferguson police department for bias against African American citizens, and said the city often acted as if it saw them as sources of revenue.
The report charged that police disproportionately use excessive force against blacks and that black drivers are stopped and searched far more often than white motorists, even though they’re less likely to be carrying contraband.
Anderson’s position as interim chief is effective immediately.
New interim city manager Ed Beasley also comes from Glendale, where he served as city manager.
