U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry has approved the team that will serve as Independent Monitor of the Consent Decree for the City of Ferguson. Squire Patton Boggs (SPB) led by Clark Ervin was chosen out of a pool of four finalists by the City of Ferguson and the Department of Justice. The cost shall not exceed $1.25 million over the first five years or $350,000 for any single year.
Mr. Clark Ervin is a partner in the Government Investigations & White Collar Practice Group at Squire Patton Boggs. Before joining the firm, he served as the Inspector General of the United States Department of State and the United States Department of Homeland Security. At these agencies, Mr. Ervin conducted scores of inspections and audits and made hundreds of recommendations to make those agencies more effective, efficient, and economical.
The Independent Monitor will assess and report on whether the requirements of the Agreement have been implemented. The Independent Monitor will also determine whether the implementation is resulting in constitutional and otherwise lawful policing and administration of justice and increased community trust between the public and the Ferguson Police Department and Court.
“I’m excited that both the City of Ferguson and the Department Justice have worked together to complete the process of choosing an Independent Monitor,” said Ferguson City Manager De’Carlon Seewood. “This is a true testament that the collaboration between both parties had a mission and that is to do what’s best for the Ferguson community and its police department,” added Seewood.
The City of Ferguson and the Department of Justice worked collectively in selecting SPB that will serve as Independent Monitor.
? The City of Ferguson in conjunction with the Department of Justice issued an RFA (Request for Applications) for an Independent Monitor for the Consent Decree on May 12, 2016, with a deadline of June 10, 2016. The City of Ferguson received nine proposals.
? Ferguson City Manager De’Carlon Seewood, Ferguson Police Chief Delrish Moss, Ferguson Legal Counsel and Department of Justice officials narrowed the candidates to seven on June 17, 2016.
? On June 30, Ferguson City Manager De’Carlon Seewood, Ferguson Police Chief Delrish Moss, Ferguson Legal Counsel and Department of Justice officials narrowed the candidates to four.
? The four finalists traveled to Ferguson for one-on-one interviews with the City of Ferguson and participated in a community forum on July 12, 2016.
? On July 15, the City of Ferguson and the Department of Justice agreed to select the Squire Patton Boggs team led by Clark Ervin.
"Our goal is to continue to work with the Department of Justice and the Independent Monitor over the course of this consent decree to improve our policing practices with the Ferguson Police Department," said Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III. "We have made great strides to become a community where everyone can be proud of the work the Ferguson City Council and administration have accomplished recently," added Knowles.
Judge Catherine D. Perry has scheduled an update hearing on the status of implementation of the Consent Decree for Wednesday, September 7, 2016, at 1 p.m.
For more information concerning the selection process, please visit the City of Ferguson's website at www.fergusoncity.com.
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