Are local police prepared for riots like in Ferguson?
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SAVANNAH, Tenn — After two days of unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, local police officers are thinking about what he or she would do if this was happening in their city. Since a grand jury decided Monday not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for fatally shooting Michael Brown, 18, the city of Ferguson has looked like a war zone. Protesters in other cities across the country have followed suit. Savannah Police Chief Gary Will said it is something all officers will talk about from now on. “It’s a horrible tragedy that can happen anywhere. All we can do is the best to prepare for it and hope that everyone can come together,” he said. Chief Will said every day an officer patrols, he is preparing for incidents like the one in Ferguson. “Whether it’s a tragedy such as what’s happened there or just a standard call an officer goes to we can learn from each and every one,” Will said. He said his department has tactical equipment if officers needed to respond to a riot or dangerous situation, but money for the equipment is not easy to come by, even for a department of 19 officers. “The cost alone for the equipment if we were to do our entire department we’re talking about a quarter of a million dollars for all the equipment, that doesn’t include a vehicle,” Chief Will said. Chief Will said it is possible governments could ask police to have mandatory training in response to Ferguson.
