Fresno Police Monitor Demonstrations After Ferguson Decision

At Fresno police headquarters, Chief Jerry Dyer and top commanders in the department watched the events in Ferguson unfold. Live streaming video from Missouri. And also images from video policing cameras set up on Fresno streets, focused on spots where protests have occurred in the past.

“If people want to gather to voice the fact that they are in disagreement with this decision that’s fine. We have that right. But when it gets to the next level of being disruptive to the point of criminal behavior that’s when we have to get involved,” Dyer said.

One of the policing cameras is located at the corner of Fresno and C streets near downtown Fresno, where a group of a dozen people held signs, comparing Fresno with Ferguson. But the demonstration remained peaceful.

“All of our monitoring is being done from a distance and we do not have a uniformed presence, like we didn’t at Fresno and C. We will not have a uniformed presence and will monitor from a distance,” Dyer said.

While the police department watched for signs of violence, members of the faith community also watched the grand jury decision.

“We pause for 4 and a half minutes symbolic for the 4 and a half hours Mike Brown’s body was left in the middle of the street,” Pastor Bryson White said.

White traveled to Ferguson and witnessed clashes between police and demonstrators there. He understands the frustration with the grand jury decision.

“I think you would find people that are justifiably very angry and very frustrated and people who are in a deep moment of pain,” Pastor White said.

Both the faith community and police call for calm here, for a better outcome than Ferguson.

A vigil is planned for Tuesday at 6pm at Eaton Park near the water tower in downtown Fresno, for people to share their thoughts on the grand jury decision.