The U.S. Justice Department is suing the Ferguson City Council for making amendments to the deal made by the government agency. The Department of Justice filed the lawsuit a few days after the City Council voted on the drafted agreement.
The negotiations between the DOJ and the City Council have been going on for some time now after the former concluded its investigations on the latter following the shooting of African American resident Michael Brown by the white police officer Darren Wilson in 2014. After the investigations, the DOJ drafted a proposal aimed at reforming the law enforcement and court systems of the city. According to the agency, it found a pattern of discrimination in the operations of its police force, as noted by CNN.
On Feb. 9, the Ferguson City Council voted for the settlement proposal submitted by the DOJ. However, even though the city agreed to most of the terms of the agreement, it also presented its own conditions. One of those is the removal of the requirement regarding the salary increase of police officers.
According to city officials, giving offers a raise would also mean increasing the salaries of other agencies such as the fire department, which would result in an annual cost of $1 million. And, with the city's current problems with budget, giving a salary raise does not seem feasible, Business Insider reported.
After learning about the City Council's response, the DOJ immediately responded in the form of a lawsuit. According to the government agency, the conditions set by the city indicates that it is not ready to accept the settlement presented by the DOJ.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch noted that through the City Council's actions, it continues to deprive its residents of the reform programs that are aimed at protecting their rights and ensuring their safety. The DOJ also accused the city of taking advantage of its law enforcement to generate income, Chicago Tribune has learned. The City Council, however, has not yet responded to the allegations made by the agency.
