Fired Ferguson cop found work with Bel-Ridge Police ahead of federal indictment
By: James Cooper
Tags: Police, Police Brutality, Accountability, Transparency, Post

A violent incident that cost Jackie Matthews his badge in Ferguson, and ultimately resulted in criminal charges, wasn’t enough to keep him from being hired by the Bel-Ridge Police Department.

A federal grand jury indicted Matthews for allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man while working for Ferguson Police Department in March. The indictment also alleges he filed a false report to cover up the unreasonable use of force. The charges carry maximum sentences of up to 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.

Ferguson Police reported the incident to the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office, who informed federal authorities. Matthews was subsequently fired by Ferguson on May 29.

Bel-Ridge Police Chief Mark Harris said Matthews informed his department of the incident before they hired him as a Patrolman on August 8.

Harris said “very few residents met (Matthews),” and that his performance with Bel-Ridge “met or exceeded standards,” prior to resigning on November 5.

The day after Matthews resigned from Bel-Ridge, the Department of Justice announced he had been indicted on one count of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law, and one count of Making a False Record.

In a statement announcing the indictments, the Department of Justice commended Ferguson for self reporting the incident.

FBI Special Agent Richard Quinn said it “demonstrated its commitment to accountability that all professional law enforcement organizations strive for in order to maintain the public’s trust.”

While the DOJ statement referred to Matthews as a “former Ferguson Police Officer,” it did not mention he had been hired by Bel-Ridge weeks after being fired by the former. The Bel-Ridge police station is 3.3 miles away from Ferguson’s.

Matthews employment with Bel-Ridge was discovered by the Grassroots Accountability Movement (GRAM). Phillip Weeks says he founded the nonprofit to increase transparency in St. Louis area policing.

“The government and police departments collect and store an immense amount data,” Weeks said. By withholding that information from the public, “the status quo remains the default mode of operation.”

Weeks credits the Ethical Society of Police (ESOP) for leading the local charge against the so-called ‘muni shuffle.’

Heather Taylor, a retired law enforcement officer and outgoing President of ESOP, says it’s not unusual for an officer fired by one law enforcement agency to be quickly hired by another.

“It happens all too often,” Taylor said. “It’s not going to improve without legislation, and actually listening to the community.”

ESOP has advocated for the creation of a national law enforcement registry to make it easier to track officers. Taylor also believes Missouri’s Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) commission is falling short.

“This is on POST. This is their job,” Taylor said.

Despite there being more than 14,000 police officers in Missouri, Taylor says POST only has “2 people who are assigned to do the backgrounds to remove the licenses of officers like this.”

“Everyone should know what department an officer works in,” she said. “It’s important for citizens to get to know what Peace Officer Standards and Training means.”

Weeks said members of GRAM have filed multiple “accounts of misconduct to POST for license revocation, and encourages members of the public to do the same.”

While Taylor supports those grassroots efforts, she says the law enforcement community is most responsible for repairing their relationship with citizens.

“There is no way the public can put their trust in us as law enforcement when we hire people who have left police departments for some of the most egregious things,” Taylor said.