Ferguson Courts Making Progress: State Auditor

FERGUSON, MO — Ferguson's municipal courts are making progress, the Associated Press reports. A 2017 audit of the city's court system found more than $26,000 in illegally assessed fees and about $1,400 missing from the city's coffers. But the state auditor announced this week that, while the $1,400 is still missing, new procedures to prevent loss and theft have been implemented.

“My last audit discovered careless and disorganized records management that led to serious questions as to the ability of the court to effectively serve citizens,” Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway said. “While there is still work that needs to be done, efforts are underway to address the audit findings and implement better processes moving forward.”

Ferguson city manager De'Carlon Seawood agreed with the state's assessment, saying that his city's courts are "definitely moving in the right direction."

The city came under scrutiny in 2014, after police officer Darren Wilson shot Michael Brown, a black teenager. A grand jury declined to charge Wilson with murder, but Brown's death spurred a Justice Department investigation into the city's police and court system.

That investigation found that Ferguson police conducted stops and searches without legal justification, used excessive force, prosecuted municipal charges in a manner that violated due process and routinely discriminated against African Americans.

The city settled with the Justice Department in 2016, agreeing to implement a series of reforms under the supervision of state and federal watchdogs.

The Associated Press contributed to this reporting.

Photo: A memorial for Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. (Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)