Race and the Militarization of Policing in Ferguson, Missouri

For four nights after an officer killed a young, black man in Ferguson, Missouri, confrontations escalated between police and protesters. Last night, the state Highway Patrol was in charge, led by Captain Ron Johnson, a native of Ferguson. Earlier, local police met one of the protesters’ demands, naming the officer who shot Michael brown as Darren Wilson. They said Brown had been stopped as a suspect in the robbery of a convenience store, but they have not released a complete account of the shooting. For the moment, a change of authority seems to have led to the restoration of order. How long will that last?