Dear Residents and Business Owners:
The City of Ferguson recognizes the various concerns being expressed by our residents and business owners with respect to the upcoming Grand Jury decision and release of any information from the investigation conducted by St. Louis County Police on the shooting of August 9, 2014. Although the City of Ferguson is completely separate from either process, and has no influence over the timing or outcome of the announcement, we are reaching out to our community members to assure you of our numerous steps to prepare for the announcement. Please know that the City of Ferguson, along with other area agencies, are poised and ready to respond to any needs to ensure the safety of our citizens.
The Ferguson Police and Fire Departments will be well-staffed in the days surrounding any announcement and will be assisted by numerous other area fire and police agencies, in addition to St. Louis County Police and the Missouri Highway Patrol. During this period, St. Louis County will be in command of incident response as a part of the “Unified Command,” made up of the St. Louis County Police Department, St. Louis City Police Department, and the Missouri Highway Patrol. Those agencies will work jointly in directing response to any threats to the safety of area residents and the protection of property. Therefore, members of our community may see various area agencies in our community once the announcement is made and then for an undetermined amount of time following that announcement.
The Ferguson Mayor, City Council and administration have been in discussions with State and Federal agencies over the last few weeks, and have requested any and all assistance that can be provided. Governor Nixon has said the National Guard will be available and he is prepared to issue the order if deemed necessary. While police forces will continue to show patience and understanding for the first amendment rights of demonstrators wishing to express themselves, all municipal laws will continue to be enforced. Therefore, in the interest of protecting the safety of all present in Ferguson in the upcoming weeks, the City encourages members of the community to continue to report any concerns or suspicious activity to the Police Department.
The City would also encourage all members of the community to keep abreast of community activities by following information presented on the City’s website www.fergusoncity.com, as well as through the local news. You can also sign up for email and text notifications on the front page of the website under “Notify Me.” In the instance of service interruptions to our website, City staff will be working with the leaders of neighborhood and business associations to transmit information in other ways, including via social media. You can follow the City of Ferguson, MO Facebook page or @FergusonScoop on Twitter.
As always, your safety and wellbeing is our utmost concern and especially so during the days ahead. In an effort to further heal and strengthen our community, the City is actively engaged with other regional leaders, listening and learning with all affected parties. Your elected officials will continue to work alongside local and regional leaders to effect positive change through the greater metropolitan area. We thank you for your commitment to this community and your strength during these difficult times.