Holder announces new guidance to law enforcement officers ahead of Ferguson decision

Attorney General Eric Holder announced Friday that the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services will provide law enforcement officers with “a new guide” that will compile “information, tools, and best practices to maintain public safety while safeguarding constitutional rights during First Amendment-protected events.”

“The Justice Department encourages law enforcement officers in every jurisdiction to work with the communities that they serve to minimize needless confrontation,” Holder said.


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“Over the past few months, we’ve seen demonstrations and protests that have sought to bring attention to real and significant underlying issues involving police practices, implicit bias and pervasive community distrust,” Holder said in the video. “In most cases, these demonstrations have been both meaningful and responsible and have brought vital issues to the attention of the public at large.

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Holder said that peaceful protests “have the potential to spark a sustained and positive national dialogue,” but cautioned that “as we’ve seen, durable relationships between the police and their communities do not develop overnight.”

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