On March 4, 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice released the long-awaited report of its investigation of the Ferguson Police Department for potential civil rights violations.  At a press conference announcing the release of the report, Attorney General William Holder confirmed what Ferguson residents and protestors already knew:

Our investigation showed that Ferguson police officers routinely violate the Fourth Amendment in stopping people without reasonable suspicion, arresting them without probable cause, and using unreasonable force against them.  According to the Police Department’s own records, its officers frequently infringe on residents’ First Amendment rights.  They interfere with the right to record police activities.  And they make enforcement decisions based on the way individuals express themselves.

Download a copy of the US Department of Justice Report (PDF)