Ferguson PD Hires Public Relations Firm, Releases Apology Video
The city government of Ferguson, Missouri, has hired a public relations firm, and they apparently advised Police Chief Tom Jackson to make this video filled with abject apologies.
The city government of Ferguson, Missouri, has hired a public relations firm, and they apparently advised Police Chief Tom Jackson to make this video filled with abject apologies.
3 | A Mom Anon Sep 25, 2014 12:53:35pm |
Oh Please. You have to hire a PR firm to apologize? That’s like a cheating husband bringing home flowers his mistress picked out for the wife. God these nitwits are obtuse as fuck.
4 | Bulworth Sep 25, 2014 12:54:37pm |
“And I’ll just leave this here, it’s a video of someone we think is Michael Brown strong arm robbing a store before he was shot and killed by one of our officers who’s since disappeared for parts unknown and didn’t file a report of the killing.”
/
5 | Botsplainer Sep 25, 2014 12:54:47pm |
Why isn’t he wearing a riot helmet, carrying a riot shield and screaming “BACK THE FUCK UP BEFORE I HAVE TO KILL EVERY ONE OF YOU ANIMALS!!! YOU, BOY, I’M POINTING AT YOU, YOU STUPID FUCK!!”?
6 | sizzzzlerz Sep 25, 2014 12:55:03pm |
Somehow, an apology a month after the murder of an unarmed and surrendering teenager and the ensuing police cover-up, just doesn’t quite make things go away.
7 | Kragar Sep 25, 2014 12:55:44pm |
Did they indict Darren Wilson yet?
No?
Then this apology means nothing.
8 | Rightwingconspirator Sep 25, 2014 12:56:25pm |
How messed up is it to need professional help just to express empathy and sympathies?
9 | Islamo-Masonic Conspirator Sep 25, 2014 12:58:35pm |
How can it be legal for a PD to hire PR?
10 | nines09 Sep 25, 2014 12:59:15pm |
I wonder when they figured out they needed an outside spokesperson? It’s like a band aid on a 30 suture cut.
11 | sizzzzlerz Sep 25, 2014 12:59:34pm |
Its also interesting that this fuckwit chose to wear civilian clothes instead of his official police uniform for something that is most definitely a police matter. Is this the PR firms attempt to make him appear more teddy-bear like and lovable?
12 | Aunty Entity Dragon Sep 25, 2014 1:00:10pm |
The sociopaths at policeone will go apeshit. Let’s take a look:
The story is up but no comments yet.
The usual idiots are gloating over Holder’s resignation.
Worst comment of the day at policeone on the outrageous shooting of Mr Crawford at wal Mart two months ago and the decision to not indict:
Posted by novacop43 on Thursday, September 25, 2014 09:55 AM Pacific Report Abuse
Seems like that’d be really hard to push on the Fed’s part if they tried to go on charges, AFTER they were cleared by a grand jury. Bad guy did wrong. Good guys did right. Leave it at that, go home, watch some Netflix, and get over it.
So to get this straight:
A black man legally shopping in Wal mart is now a “bad guy” by definition according to this officer.
This is why black men (and increasingly young lower class white males) keep getting shot. The cops have become judge, jury and executioner.
13 | Aunty Entity Dragon Sep 25, 2014 1:00:54pm |
re: #7 Kragar
Did they indict Darren Wilson yet?
No?
Then this apology means nothing.
There is no chance in hell that the state AG will indict. This will be a fed case.
14 | aagcobb Sep 25, 2014 1:01:10pm |
re: #7 Kragar
Did they indict Darren Wilson yet?
No?
Then this apology means nothing.
I will be shocked if Wilson is ever indicted; look at what just happened in Ohio.
15 | Targetpractice Sep 25, 2014 1:01:12pm |
Day late and a dollar short, fuckheads.
We’ll believe that the FPD and the STLCPD are serious with the apologies when a special prosecutor is appointed instead of leaving this in the hands of a prosecutor with a clear conflict of interest.
16 | b.d. Sep 25, 2014 1:02:16pm |
Well, you can’t see his I am Darren Wilson wristband in this video, I guess that’s a start.
17 | Targetpractice Sep 25, 2014 1:03:05pm |
re: #14 aagcobb
I will be shocked if Wilson is ever indicted; look at what just happened in Ohio.
It became obvious the fix was in when they announced that the grand jury, rather than being given all the evidence at the same time with an AG to guide them through it, instead decided they’re just gonna present the evidence as it becomes available and leave the jurors to make up their minds.
19 | wrenchwench Sep 25, 2014 1:05:50pm |
I think it was the city, not the PD, that hired the Devin James Group.
Most Common List of Misconceptions in Ferguson
Monday, September 22, 20141. The Mayor has the ability to grant pardons for traffic offenses and warrants.
FALSE: Any authority granted by state law vests in the City Council as a whole rather than just one member of the City Council (Section 3.1 of the City Charter). Regardless of whether it’s the Mayor or the entire Council, they clearly cannot cancel warrants because they cannot override orders of a court.
2. The Mayor or the City Manager has the ability to fire the Police Chief.
FALSE: Missouri state law requires a super-majority of the council to vote to fire the Police Chief. See Section 106.273 r.s.mo.
In addition, the Council must provide notice and a hearing to the Police Chief and can only fire the Chief for one of the reasons set forth in Section 106.273.
3. The Mayor or the Police Chief can fire Darren Wilson.
CLARIFICATION: Officer Wilson may be fired by either the Chief of Police or the City Manager. However, there are legal implications to discharging him without the conclusion of the investigation into wrongdoing, which is being completed by St. Louis County Police and the Prosecuting Attorney.
[…]
12. The Mayor doesn’t acknowledge the racial divide nor does he care about African American people or what happened to peaceful protestors, Michael Brown and his remains.
FALSE: The Mayor was raised in this community. He went to school here. He served 10 years on the city council, working with the concerns of all residents. He made a mistake regarding his comments about the racial divide and Michael Brown’s body and he is deeply sorry.
He knows there are racial divides all over this country and in Ferguson communities. His statement about there being no racial divide was taken out of context and he has repeatedly apologized both publicly and to people who may have been offended.
Regarding comments about Michael Brown and protestors: He meant no disrespect to Michael Brown or his family. As far as the protestors are concerned, he has apologized to various groups and will continue to do so.
13. The city hired a PR firm to distract people and the media from the truth.
FALSE: We are a small municipality that could not and should not have a media/communications team on staff or under retainer around the clock as that would be a waste of tax payer dollars. But just as there is a specific need for accountants and lawyers, there is a need for communications people to help us manage the multitude of media queries and request that limit our ability to speak to our local constituents and conduct city business as usual.
We hired Common Ground PR to assist with media relations and the Devin James Group (a locally-based nationally certified Minority-owned firm) to assist with community outreach and communication strategies
[…]
Goes to elebenty 18.
20 | Botsplainer Sep 25, 2014 1:06:04pm |
re: #11 sizzzzlerz
Its also interesting that this fuckwit chose to wear civilian clothes instead of his official police uniform for something that is most definitely a police matter. Is this the PR firms attempt to make him appear more teddy-bear like and lovable?
I’m surprised that they didn’t have him wear a fuzzy “We Love Grandpa” sweater.
21 | Aunty Entity Dragon Sep 25, 2014 1:06:05pm |
re: #17 Targetpractice
It became obvious the fix was in when they announced that the grand jury, rather than being given all the evidence at the same time with an AG to guide them through it, instead decided they’re just gonna present the evidence as it becomes available and leave the jurors to make up their minds.
It was obvious the moment he said he would leave it to a grand jury. I knew right there that he would soft peddle the case, get the desired failure to indict and tell the public with a straight face that there was nothing he could do about it.
I could still be wrong…but I would bet real money at this point that no state indictment will be forthcoming.
23 | Frenchy Sep 25, 2014 1:09:43pm |
I’m not Michael Brown’s parents, but if I were them, I’d think that this would mean a whole lot more said to my face than on some internet video where he’s reading from cue cards.
24 | wrenchwench Sep 25, 2014 1:10:58pm |
re: #23 Frenchy
I’m not Michael Brown’s parents, but if I were them, I’d think that this would mean a whole lot more said to my face than on some internet video where he’s reading from cue cards.
If he has not done that previous to this, it is a serious misstep.
26 | b.d. Sep 25, 2014 1:11:44pm |
re: #20 Botsplainer
I’m surprised that they didn’t have him wear a fuzzy “We Love Gradnpa” sweater.
Where is the roaring fireplace in the background, docile dog and the adorable grandkids throwing themselves in his lap?
27 | Frenchy Sep 25, 2014 1:14:35pm |
re: #24 wrenchwench
I guess it’s possible that he has done so prior…but knowing what we know about FPD, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that he hasn’t.
28 | Kragar Sep 25, 2014 1:14:43pm |
Fox hosts blame drunk girls for frat rapes: ‘These guys, what are they supposed to do?’ http://t.co/gsNIHJRCbC Not rape them maybe?— Kragar (@Kragar_LGF) September 25, 2014
29 | HappyWarrior Sep 25, 2014 1:16:11pm |
re: #28 Kragar
[Embedded content]
You know this is not only sexist to women but towards men too. You, I, and the other men here were raised and know not to take advantage of drunk women. Blaming the women for their own rapes and implying that men are too stupid to know any better is just some nasty two faced sexism but remember it’s feminists that hate men not these types.//
30 | Bubblehead II Sep 25, 2014 1:18:21pm |
If he was truly sorry and accepting responsibility for what happened, he would do the only ethical thing left to do. Resign. But since ethics seems not to be part of the Ferguson PD ethos, he wont.
31 | Targetpractice Sep 25, 2014 1:19:33pm |
re: #28 Kragar
[Embedded content]
Funny, but I sort of thought the Right hated that logic when they heard of Shari’a courts using it as the legal reason to sentence rape victims to stoning? Oh wait, I forgot that these are the same nimrods who think that women in the military is a big mistake because men can’t be expected to control themselves.
32 | Kragar Sep 25, 2014 1:20:44pm |
re: #29 HappyWarrior
You know this is not only sexist to women but towards men too. You, I, and the other men here were raised and know not to take advantage of drunk women. Blaming the women for their own rapes and implying that men are too stupid to know any better is just some nasty two faced sexism but remember it’s feminists that hate men not these types.//
How can men be expected to control their lustful urges when scarlet Jezebel’s tempt them?
34 | Backwoods_Sleuth Sep 25, 2014 1:21:20pm |
Where lost golf balls end up…
The Curiosity rover found a weird ball on Mars: http://t.co/DlhQEbNd2m pic.twitter.com/rOLZTQ54mJ
— Discovery (@Discovery) September 25, 2014
35 | HappyWarrior Sep 25, 2014 1:22:14pm |
So that Republicans are people ad. That was a joke right? I know it wasn’t but man it just felt like a really really bad ad. May even be more pathetic than the ad that told women they need to “leave” their “boyfriend” Barack.
36 | gwangung Sep 25, 2014 1:22:23pm |
re: #34 Backwoods_Sleuth
Where lost golf balls end up…
[Embedded content]
Superman’s a messy duffer….
37 | HappyWarrior Sep 25, 2014 1:22:53pm |
re: #34 Backwoods_Sleuth
Where lost golf balls end up…
[Embedded content]
God left it out for the kickball game between the planets. Mercury and Neptune are captains.
38 | Rightwingconspirator Sep 25, 2014 1:23:40pm |
re: #34 Backwoods_Sleuth
I knew my dog dropped that ball somewhere…
39 | Targetpractice Sep 25, 2014 1:24:06pm |
re: #30 Bubblehead II
If he was truly sorry and accepting responsibility for what happened, he would do the only ethical thing left to do. Resign. But since ethics seems not to be part of the Ferguson PD ethos, he wont.
I’m rather surprised that his apology didn’t read “I’m sorry you’re upset about your thug son’s death, now get over it!”
40 | wrenchwench Sep 25, 2014 1:24:18pm |
President of PR firm hired by City of Ferguson ‘dismayed’ by online reaction
Denise Bentele of Common Ground PR says a lack of diversity is ‘an industry-wide challenge that we all need to tackle.’
When Common Ground PR announced Monday that it would be providing “short-term assistance” to the city of Ferguson, Missouri, online sleuths quickly began looking into the firm.
Clashes between the mostly white police force and people protesting the police shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, an African-American man, have had a racial charge to them. That led Talking Points Memo and others to question why the city had hired a PR firm that appears to have no black people working in it.
Wednesday afternoon, the president and CEO of Common Ground, Denise Bentele, issued a statement addressing those concerns and answering why the firm stepped up.
“Our short-term agreement to assist had nothing to do with the preceding tragic events,” Bentele wrote. “Rather, as we watched the news of ongoing turmoil, it was apparent that the negative images could forever impact our region’s economic development efforts and the lives of our neighbors.”
Bentele said she was “dismayed at the negative reaction online and on social media” over her firm’s hiring and the criticism from communications professionals and others over the racial makeup of Common Ground’s staff.
“Increasing the diversity of communications professionals is an industry-wide challenge that we all need to tackle,” Bentele wrote. “But as a local St. Louisan who watched this tragedy unfold, I offered our assistance because it was clear that this community was overwhelmed and needed immediate help fielding media inquiries.”
She added that the city has also been working, upon Common Ground’s request, with The Devin James Group, a black-owned firm, to spur community engagement.
[…]
41 | Kragar Sep 25, 2014 1:24:54pm |
American Decency Association: gays and lesbians have broken God's law, “deserve the death penalty” http://t.co/6ooJlwmI3X— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) September 25, 2014
“The laws of God cannot be overruled or deemed unconstitutional. Of course, we ALL break those laws and being a homosexual doesn’t make a man a sinner any more or less than being a gossip. Both crimes deserve the death penalty, and only the one who relies on the righteousness of Christ can escape it.”
They seem nice
42 | HappyWarrior Sep 25, 2014 1:26:46pm |
re: #41 Kragar
[Embedded content]
They seem nice
American Decency Association. Why if that’s not the most Orwellean name out there, I don’t know what it is. Seriously though the death penalty for gay people? I mean it’s whacked out as is that these twisted fucks want to criminalize gay sex. But the DP? Wonder how they plan to enforce their planned law. Maybe deep undercover work. I’m sure Ted Haggard would be eager to do that.
43 | gwangung Sep 25, 2014 1:26:50pm |
re: #40 wrenchwench
Either they or the city should have put Devin James up front as basic PR 101.
44 | freetoken Sep 25, 2014 1:27:23pm |
One thing that greatly irks me about contemporary media and society is the elevation of the wrapping paper over the substance, to mix up some metaphors.
The head-long rush for click-bait and the creation of hyper-sensational (and misleading) headlines over story substance, is just one aspect of a society-wide phenomenon.
The hiring of a PR firm by Ferguson is very much like any other part of American society which hires PR firms.
What matters is the most surface appearance, not the substance.
Anthropologists have studied the evolution of lying, and though I doubt there is one final “answer” to why we have developed this skill it appears as if it was necessary because we are good at it.
45 | Bubblehead II Sep 25, 2014 1:27:37pm |
re: #39 Targetpractice
I’m rather surprised that his apology didn’t read “I’m sorry you’re upset about your thug son’s death, now get over it!”
That’s why they hired the PR firm.
46 | Kragar Sep 25, 2014 1:28:56pm |
#teaparty #tcot #tgdn #orpuw #pjnet #libcrib #uniteblue pic.twitter.com/bscRGFaWlf— Br@d13y Str0h1 (@BradleyStrohl) September 25, 2014
47 | BeachDem Sep 25, 2014 1:29:34pm |
re: #35 HappyWarrior
So that Republicans are people ad. That was a joke right? I know it wasn’t but man it just felt like a really really bad ad. May even be more pathetic than the ad that told women they need to “leave” their “boyfriend” Barack.
Because, as always, I put this on a dead thread, I’ll repeat it here—not a joke, but a “joke” for sure:
And now I see that this latest Republican monstrosity was the work of Vinny Minchillo.
Who’s that you ask?
He was part of the “Mad Men” team that Mitt Romney put together to sell the candidate to the country. Minchillo claimed back then he “reinvented political advertising.”
Even the “I live with the ghost of Reagan past” Peggy Noonan disagreed with that claim: “Mr. Romney’s ads are mostly boring. It’s kind of an achievement to be boring at a moment in history like this, so credit where it’s due: That musta taken effort!”
48 | b.d. Sep 25, 2014 1:30:18pm |
CNN:
Cindy McCain: Ending sex trafficking
Not going to click on the article, just grinning at the headline.
49 | wrenchwench Sep 25, 2014 1:31:59pm |
re: #43 gwangung
Either they or the city should have put Devin James up front as basic PR 101.
Yep. Doing it half-assed makes them all look like complete asses.
50 | BeachDem Sep 25, 2014 1:32:00pm |
re: #40 wrenchwench
Pretty sad when a PR firm has to do crisis management/PR work for the PR firm itself. (better known as a clusterfuck of epic proportions.)
51 | HappyWarrior Sep 25, 2014 1:32:43pm |
re: #47 BeachDem
Because, as always, I put this on a dead thread, I’ll repeat it here—not a joke, but a “joke” for sure:
And now I see that this latest Republican monstrosity was the work of Vinny Minchillo.
Who’s that you ask?
He was part of the “Mad Men” team that Mitt Romney put together to sell the candidate to the country. Minchillo claimed back then he “reinvented political advertising.”
Even the “I live with the ghost of Reagan past” Peggy Noonan disagreed with that claim: “Mr. Romney’s ads are mostly boring. It’s kind of an achievement to be boring at a moment in history like this, so credit where it’s due: That musta taken effort!”
Oh. It was meant to be a rhetorical question. I know it’s very real. That’s just a shitty ad. I’ve not taken one day or marketing or any college political science classes and I know that’s just awful. I mean I get the GOP’s image problem but that ad just made me feel like I lost half of my IQ because of how stupid it was.
52 | Charles Johnson Sep 25, 2014 1:32:54pm |
lolwut RT @ChuckCJohnson: I have long studied Eric Holder & long admired his single mindedness. Good riddance to a worthy foe.— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) September 25, 2014
53 | wrenchwench Sep 25, 2014 1:35:30pm |
re: #50 BeachDem
Pretty sad when a PR firm has to do crisis management/PR work for the PR firm itself. (better known as a clusterfuck of epic proportions.)
Meta-PR. Super PR. Infra PR. Ultra PR.
Clusterfuck PR it is.
54 | Aunty Entity Dragon Sep 25, 2014 1:37:02pm |
re: #41 Kragar
[Embedded content]
They seem nice
Total wingnuts…but I read the full text and they are talking about spiritual death (IE eternal seperation from God) as they hold that all sin (the example used was gossip along with being gay) is equally condemnatory.
Not that I want to have a beer with them any time soon…
55 | Rightwingconspirator Sep 25, 2014 1:37:42pm |
re: #53 wrenchwench
I think these guys handled General Custers public relations. Oh and the Captain of the Titanic.
56 | Backwoods_Sleuth Sep 25, 2014 1:38:03pm |
The Upchuck delusion is so strong…
Awesome. Gotnews Ripped off by DailyMail… RT NCIS star Pauley Perrette looks downcast after facing down ex-husband http://t.co/WQk73i0ta8
— Charles C. Johnson (@ChuckCJohnson) September 25, 2014
Guess he’ll be suing the Daily Fail now.
57 | Kragar Sep 25, 2014 1:41:15pm |
re: #56 Backwoods_Sleuth
The Upchuck delusion is so strong…
[Embedded content]
Guess he’ll be suing the Daily Fail now.
That looks like 2 pictures shopped together
58 | Backwoods_Sleuth Sep 25, 2014 1:43:03pm |
59 | Bulworth Sep 25, 2014 1:45:52pm |
re:
#41
So, gossiping “deserves the death penalty.”
I think we’re done here.
60 | BeachDem Sep 25, 2014 1:47:03pm |
re: #51 HappyWarrior
Oh. It was meant to be a rhetorical question. I know it’s very real. That’s just a shitty ad. I’ve not taken one day or marketing or any college political science classes and I know that’s just awful. I mean I get the GOP’s image problem but that ad just made me feel like I lost half of my IQ because of how stupid it was.
I knew you were kidding, but couldn’t resist re-posting because when you claim to have re-invented political advertising and Peggy Noonan thinks you’re living in the past, you have big problems.
I wonder how long it will take for folks (I’m looking at you, Wonketeers) to troll their request for other Republican stories. Every single time they do something like this, it happens (their “Reaganbook,” their “what issues matter to you” site etc.) but they just never learn.
61 | HappyWarrior Sep 25, 2014 1:49:27pm |
re: #60 BeachDem
I knew you were kidding, but couldn’t resist re-posting because when you claim to have re-invented political advertising and Peggy Noonan thinks you’re living in the past, you have big problems.
I wonder how long it will take for folks (I’m looking at you, Wonketeers) to troll their request for other Republican stories. Every single time they do something like this, it happens (their “Reaganbook,” their “what issues matter to you” site etc.) but they just never learn.
Yeah when Peggy thinks you’re living in the past, you do have serious problems. Republicans and conservatives don’t get that liberal problems with them isn’t with them as people. As I got at in the page, I’ve had Republican friends, family, co-workers, and roommates my whole life. That ad doesn’t even remotely convince me that I should support Republicans. Of course, the funny thing is the Republican candidates that they want to benefit from these ads have no problem whatsoever dehumanizing liberals and Democrats.
62 | RealityBasedSteve Sep 25, 2014 1:49:43pm |
re: #57 Kragar
That looks like 2 pictures shopped together
It is, if you to the originals, they took the one of her, cropped and reversed it, then dropped in on the one of her ex.
RBS
63 | Kragar Sep 25, 2014 1:55:21pm |
re: #62 RealityBasedSteve
It is, if you to the originals, they took the one of her, cropped and reversed it, then dropped in on the one of her ex.
RBS
RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM!
65 | Chez Ko Pe Sep 25, 2014 2:50:54pm |
re: #52 Charles Johnson
Gosh, you mean the little squirt hasn’t claimed “credit” for Holder’s resignation yet?
66 | Patricia Kayden Sep 25, 2014 2:57:00pm |
Not buying the “apology”. Wonder why he didn’t address the “I am Wilson” armbands that are being worn by his police officers or the burning down of the Brown memorial. I also wonder if he was forced to do this because of lawsuits regarding the heavy hand the police used against protesters.
The people of Ferguson are going to have to do a better job of voting for leaders who actually care about them.
67 | Plantsmantx Sep 25, 2014 7:13:17pm |
re: #19 wrenchwench
This Devin James guy has a Twitter account. He approvingly re tweeted this:
brayingjackass @brayingjackass * Sep 22
@Jdstl314 @OpFerguson A successful man is not an uncle tom, viewing him as such is a big problem of #WTF is wrong with your community
Here’s one of his own tweets:
Devin Sean James @DevinJamesGroup * Sep 19
#blackfolks kill me they criticize #Ferguson 4 lack of diversity then attack the #blackowned firm they hired 2 help. All #Haters welcome
Some PR guy.