Mayor: Ferguson to seek more minorities for its police force

During a press conference Sunday, Ferguson Mayor James Knowles outlined steps that the city will take to increase the number of minority officers on its police force, and shared more information about the resignation of Officer Darren Wilson.

Wilson earned about $45,000 a year, and did not receive severance pay when he resigned on Saturday, Knowles said. Wilson had been on paid administrative leave since the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown on Aug. 9.

Knowles also talked about ways the city will increase minority representation on its police force; Ferguson is predominantly black, but a vast majority of the more than 50 police officers in the department are white. The city will fund scholarships to the police academy, with recipients required to come and work in Ferguson for at least two years following graduation. The stipend for officers living in the city will increase from $100 to $300, the mayor added, and a citizen review board and police explorer program in schools will be created.

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"We are committed to rebuilding the city and to once again become a thriving community for economic development and residential stability," Knowles said.