13:53 a lawsuit was filed against the city of Ferguson, Missouri by the Department of Justice. And I decided oh what the heck maybe i should just go and see what the lawsuit says this kept me up until two in the morning so this was not a good idea here is a quick little overview about the Department of Justice bringing a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city of Ferguson, Missouri. The Department of Justice is now suing the City of Ferguson, Missouri Federal authorities issued a withering report on police practices in Ferguson after the police killing Michael Brown yesterday the Ferguson City Council tried to amend an agreement with the DOJ to overhaul the cities criminal justice system Andy John just moments ago we talked with city spokesman at Ferguson who said that they are
14:39 disappointed but not surprised by this lawsuit. Last night at a very noisy City Council meeting, a number of people stood up and demanded that the city council accept the proposals to overhaul Ferguson's Police Department from the Department of Justice It's called a consent decree and in the end, the City Council did indeed unanimously approve the consent decree. But then they said with seven revisions just seven they said in pages of proposals that would lighten the financial burden of this city to hand out these uh...to overhaul the police department The Justice Department was none too pleased Now the city says it's trying to make changes already but
15:18 The Department of Justice says it's not coming quickly or thoroughly enough. The residents of Ferguson have suffered the deprivation of their constitutional rights, the rights guaranteed to all Americans for decades. They have waited decades for justice they should not be forced to wait any longer. Okay so I... What is she doing about Hillary? Here we go on. Alright thanks So I thought, okay what exactly is going on? So look at the lawsuit. It must be 150 different instances of mainly a very obvious corrupt system that we've seen in many other places in the United States, which is the debtor jail. And it happens because you get these correctional facilities that are run by Correctional Corporation of America. Everybody's on the take. You know if you get a small traffic violation
16:18 We've talked...we spent a whole show almost talking about the scams. And this seems to be the pinnacle, knowing that the mayor of Ferguson has been all in on privatization. He has privatized as much as he possibly could throughout his tenure in Ferguson. So I'm reading this lawsuit. It's really long and you have to improve things and at the bottom of the lawsuit there is a clause known as The Prayer for Relief. which is, excuse me with the United States Justice Department. Praise that the court colon declared that the defendant, the city of Ferguson has engaged in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives persons of rights privileges or immunities secured or protected by the constitution of the laws united states and then a couple of actually title five title six
17:12 The court ordered the defendant, his office agents and employees to refrain from engaging in any of the predicate acts forming the basis of the pattern or practice of conduct described herein." So really they're not asking for anything. But then I discovered that consent decree... Wow! This is about 80 pages and it reads well-I'll tell you what it reads like if I just read a couple of them for you. Parties have determined in this agreement, rather than costly and protracted litigation most effective means to resolve all issues between DOJ and the city. This agreement resolves all claims the United States complaint filed in this case. Agreement also constitutes a full and complete settlement of any and all civil claims." So Ferguson, if you can get through this consent decree uh...and you adhere to it then we'll drop everything against you. This thing reads like
18:03 an RFP, like a response to request for proposals for privatized police. I mean they've got everything in here training just... If i were just to count it up and how many officers they have but you know every office of 40 hours of training a year not just in firearm and electronic weapon safety which would be tasers but in integration into communities. I mean, it's just pages and pages of requirements that is going to cost tens of millions of dollars. Oh please also notice that big push and you know Ferguson has to have body cameras helmet cameras car cameras motorcycle cameras walking cameras biking cameras they have already selected the vendor according to the consent decree so we know that's a big push
18:56 And I have... You don't remember that though, do you? I don't remember what. The vendor? No they say a vendor has been chosen they don't say who the vendors is but there's really only one company That's kind of corrupt Well I think this John if i read this properly again it's about 80 pages and I just marked a couple things just in case you can hear what also be have to inform that your oh the cops will be recording all the time even she walk up to somebody you'll be recorded They do state nicely that individuals shall be permitted to record officer activity, which of course has been a problem. Big... It's training and from what I understand Justin Commons made they're looking at 25-30 million dollars to implement this John to me this is a template for privatized police department
19:49 So I don't know who's coming in. There has always been a lot of talk about doing this, about privatizing a lot of services... You're like, you would have to pretty much have to scrap the whole police department and start over again. In fact that was one of the main things that uh... The reason why they couldn't agree on this document and why the lawsuit was ultimately filed because it did not state in it That Ferguson had the right To fire everybody And bring in a privatized or commercial corporation to set up a new police department
20:32 You know, I wonder if you know that... what's the name of the company that does the prisons that Bill Gates invested in? Yeah. It's The Correctional Corporation of America. I wonder, you know...they must see the writing on the wall with these new political candidates coming in and they're talking about reforming justice system. And they must see that this business of building and building and building prisons is probably gonna come to an end over the next 20 years when they have to think of some new ways to make revenue? And perhaps a company like that would be developing these private police departments. It's a great idea if it will work. That's a great idea. I have no proof of this but it feels like this is the template
21:10 Yeah, here. Do not use electronic ECWs which is uh... Electronic Controlled Weapons that's stu- uh tasers do not use ECWS in drive stun mode I had to look this one up These tasers have two modes. One is the drive stun mode, which kind of amps up the electricity and the cops have just been... You're only supposed to use that if someone's like out completely insane PCP uncontrollable Now these guys are using it just when someone's in the back of the car and doesn't want to get out here Shut-up slave Taze you
21:50 So I'm gonna be all over this. I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop, that hurt on who is going to be fulfilling this contract. That's a good, that's what happening. And you have this all happen right around the same time as you know this has all taken place and so it was distracted by whole bunch of things including you know the primaries and the Super Bowl and God knows what else So eyes open on this I'm looking for Ferguson into there are two CCA uh... facilities in missouri both south of ferguson
22:29 Um, so I'm looking at those guys. But really it's when you read what they were doing the whole place was corrupt but this debtor prison results in is you get pulled over for a minor infraction and if you get written up its very unclear how you pay the fine then you get doubled then they come and arrest you sit in jail because you can't pay the fine its hard to get a bailsman to get a bail... You get fired from your job so you'll never pay the fine You know, so yes. But this is not a white on black. This is asshole corporations screwing with the community who in this case is almost 70% black but it's really just a commercial bunch of A-holes ripping people off and... You do! That's why people are voting for Bernie Whoever comes into privatized Ferguson we'll see if they do any better