The St. Louis Police Officers Association and the St. Louis County Police Association report progress following a meeting with leaders of the St. Louis Rams to discuss the public display by five players of the "hands-up-don't-shoot" gesture used by Ferguson protesters.
The St. Louis police group earlier had called the players’ actions “inflammatory’’ and anti-law enforcement. The players were acting in support of Ferguson protesters, who have contended that Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson should have faced a trial after the fatal shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown.
Protests, some involving property damage, have been held locally, nationally and worldwide since a St. Louis County grand jury announced Nov. 24 that it was not going to indict Wilson.
The police groups called the talks with the Rams “productive but very preliminary.” The meeting ended with an agreement to continue the dialogue.
St Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson was involved in the meeting. Rams executives previously talked by phone with St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar prior to the meeting.
St. Louis Police Officers Association business manager Jeff Roorda said in a statement, "We made some progress today and we had a healthy interaction with the Rams. We feel strongly that they better understand our perspective and the perspective of the law-abiding citizens that support law enforcement…”
