Injured Ferguson Officer Aimed to Improve Department ‘from the Inside’

In Ferguson, Missouri, a Black police officer is fighting for his life following a violent incident during a demonstration that commemorated the death of Michael Brown. Officer Travis Brown, age 36, remains in critical condition at a hospital in the St. Louis area, three days after being attacked during what began as a peaceful protest.

According to Ferguson police spokeswoman Patricia Washington, Officer Brown’s family is by his side, and there is hope for gradual improvement in his condition. “His family is with him every day, every hour,” Washington stated. “We are hopeful that every day he gets a little stronger.”

The altercation occurred late Friday when protesters were damaging a fence outside the police department. Ferguson’s Police Chief Troy Doyle decided to dispatch officers to make arrests. During this response, a protester tackled Officer Brown, causing him to fall and sustain a severe brain injury.

It’s important to note that Travis Brown is not related to Michael Brown, whose fatal shooting in 2014 sparked national outrage and protests against police brutality. Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teen, was killed by officer Darren Wilson, leading to several investigations that ultimately found no grounds for prosecution. This incident ignited the Black Lives Matter movement and triggered a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into the Ferguson police practices, resulting in significant changes.

Travis Brown joined the Ferguson police force at the beginning of this year, after serving 11 years with the St. Louis County Police. While there, he operated within the Special Response Unit under Lt. Ray Rice. Rice praised Brown’s commitment to the job, noting, “Everybody says, ‘Where are all of the good police officers?’ Travis is one of those people.”

A father of two young daughters and the son of a retired police officer, Brown had his share of negative experiences with law enforcement during his upbringing. Lt. Rice shared insights into the motivations behind many Black officers, stating, “Every Black officer I know has a story about being the subject of police abuse of power. For most of us, those encounters are what inspired us to join the force in the first place — to make a difference from inside.”

In addition to his policing duties, Rice serves as a vice president for the Ethical Society of Police, an organization advocating for inclusivity within law enforcement. He emphasizes the importance of officers like Travis Brown, someone whose motivation comes from the desire to serve the community rather than seeking out confrontations.

Officer Elijah Gantt, 28, of East St. Louis, Illinois, has been charged in connection with the attack on Officer Brown. Gantt faces charges of assault on a special victim, resisting arrest, and property damage. A bond hearing has been scheduled for August 19, with a preliminary hearing set for September 11. He currently remains jailed on a $500,000 cash-only bond.

Throughout the protest, law enforcement allowed demonstrators to express their grief and anger while blocking the street leading to the police station. Police intervention became necessary only when protesters broke a section of the fencing, prompting Chief Doyle to authorize arrests.

After allegedly attacking Officer Brown, Gantt reportedly fled the scene and resisted arrest, injuring two other officers in the process. The aggressive response to Brown’s injury has led to a strong outcry from the community in Ferguson, which is predominantly Black, making up roughly two-thirds of its 18,000 residents.

The Ferguson Police Department has made notable strides in diversifying its workforce since the protests that erupted in 2014. While the department previously housed around 50 white officers and only three Black officers, the current composition includes 22 Black officers out of 41 total officers, including Travis Brown.

The ongoing reforms have involved regular training sessions addressing crisis intervention and bias avoidance, alongside the implementation of body cameras. Chief Doyle, visibly emotional, questioned the reasoning behind continued violence a decade after the protests sparked by Michael Brown’s death. “What are we doing?” he asked on Saturday. “Ten years later, I’ve got an officer fighting for his life. It’s enough and I’m done with it. We’re not doing it here in Ferguson.”

The sentiments have resonated across social media, with residents expressing outrage over the attack. “What did the officer or his family do to anyone to deserve this!???” wrote one woman on the police department’s Facebook page. “This really disgusts me! Praying for that officer and his family.”