▁importance ▁of ▁civil ian ▁o vers ight ▁of ▁police ▁work . ▁ ▁Police ▁use ▁of ▁force ▁and ▁issues ▁of ▁race ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 s , ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁shoot ings ▁of ▁un ar med ▁individuals ▁by ▁police ▁officers ▁correl ated ▁with ▁calls ▁for ▁police ▁and ▁law ▁enfor cement ▁reform , ▁especially ▁regarding ▁the ▁divers ity ▁of ▁police ▁officers ▁and ▁the ▁treatment ▁of ▁minor ities ▁by ▁the ▁criminal ▁justice ▁system . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁specific ▁case ▁of ▁the ▁shooting ▁of ▁Michael ▁Brown ▁in ▁Fer g us on ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁an ▁investigation ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Department ▁of ▁Justice ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Division ▁concluded ▁that , ▁while ▁there ▁were ▁not ▁sufficient ▁grounds ▁to ▁charge ▁the ▁police ▁officer ▁who ▁shot ▁Brown ▁with ▁a ▁criminal ▁off ense , ▁the ▁Fer g us on ▁Police ▁Department ▁as ▁a ▁whole ▁" was ▁rout in ely ▁viol ating ▁the ▁constitution al ▁rights ▁of ▁its ▁black ▁residents ." ▁M embers ▁of ▁the ▁Cong r essional ▁Black ▁C au cus ▁indicated ▁their ▁appreci ation ▁of ▁U . S . ▁Att orney ▁General ▁Eric ▁H older , ▁and ▁said ▁that ▁while ▁many ▁American ▁police ▁officers ▁serve ▁honor ably , ▁the ▁problems ▁found ▁in ▁Fer g us on ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁fin es ▁to ▁generate ▁re venue ▁instead ▁of ▁promote ▁safety ▁and ▁justice , ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁excess ive ▁force , ▁and ▁un const itution al ▁practices ▁may ▁also ▁be ▁found ▁in ▁other ▁communities ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁President ▁Bar