Thomas Jackson

Listen to "Thomas Jackson Policing Ferguson" on Spreaker. What really happened that fateful day in August 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri, and how can we restore the vital trust between police and communities across America? Few people are better positioned to tell this story than former Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson, who watched it all unfold, firsthand. Following the fatal shooting in August 2014 by a white police officer of an African American man, eighteen-year-old Michael Brown, in broad daylight, Ferguson 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 recent violence by and against police officers nationwide. But according to Chief 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. 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 trust between the police and the communities they serve. His practical, well-informed recommendations offer a vision of hope to the country's dire, ongoing racial tensions. ABOUT THOMAS JACKSON Thomas Jackson is the 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, Missouri.