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After days of violent clashes between heavily armed police and people protesting the police killing of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, Gov. Jay Nixon pulled St. Louis County police out of the city and replaced them with the Missouri highway patrol.
Clay: "The gov. just called me and he's on his way to St. Louis now to announce he's taking St. Louis County police out of the situation"— Derek Wallbank (@dwallbank) August 14, 2014
The decision to pull out the St. Louis County police reverses an earlier decision by the Ferguson police chief who had called for the presence of county officers in the city after a Ferguson police officer shot Brown, prompting the protests.
Protests began on Sunday night after an unidentified officer shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown on Saturday. Brown was reportedly walking to his grandmother's house with a friend.
As control over the police presence in Ferguson shifts, here are the key authorities to watch:
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon
At the behest of the governor, the Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the Brown killing. They are working in tandem with the FBI.
But the governor has been criticized for not taking control of the situation earlier by ordering police restraint.
@GovJayNixon well see, the great thing about being governor is you can do a hell of a lot more than "urge" the police to respect rights #bs— Nate Urban (@NatetheBRD) August 14, 2014
@GovJayNixon @robertloerzel TELL THE POLICE TO GO HOME ALREADY IF YOU HAVEN'T YET. DEMONSTRATE SOME GODDAMN LEADERSHIP.— Michaelangelo Matos (@matoswk75) August 14, 2014
Nixon is reportedly on his way to St. Louis.
Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson
Jackson thought that it was best that someone from outside Ferguson handle the sensitive situation. He immediately ceded jurisdiction of the case when he heard about the shooting and called St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar, asking him to take charge.
That, though, has proved to be a fateful decision. County police officers came in with military equipment and, on Wednesday night, filled the streets with teargas.
People in Ferguson have also criticized Jackson for not giving any further details about the shooting including the name of the officer who shot Brown.
On Wednesday, when Missouri Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal confronted him at a press conference, he appeared visibly uncomfortable when she told him of how she was tear-gassed by police as she was peacefully protesting.
She confronted Jackson, asking him whether she would be tear-gassed again. Jackson replied: "I hope not."
St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar
Belmar's officers have responded to protesters by wielding assault weapons, driving through Ferguson in military vehicles, firing tear gas and rubber bullets into crowds, and taking sniper positions that evoke military combat.
5. ... This, for example, is not a policeman who is about to win the trust of his fellow citizen: pic.twitter.com/6u8MCAZ5PT— Andrew Exum (@abumuqawama) August 13, 2014
The hacker group Anonymous threatened to release personal details about the county chief and his family. When Belmar said Anonymous wouldn't dare do that, the group reportedly made good on the threats, releasing his phone number, address and more.
Anonymous also released what they said at first was the name of the officer who shot Brown, though later the group appeared to backtrack on that claim, and the account has since been suspended.
So Jon, Mr. chief of police, you said our threats were just hollow. See, that makes us mad. You shouldn't challenge us. #Anonymous #Ferguson— TheAnonMessage (@TheAnonMessage) August 12, 2014
Belmar's description of events leading up to Brown's death doesn't correspond to multiple eyewitness accounts. Belmar has said that Brown assaulted the officer, pushed him into the police car and struggled for his gun before he was shot. Eyewitnesses, including Brown's friend who was with him at the time, have said that Brown was forced into the car and was fleeing the officer before being shot multiple times from behind.
Missouri highway patrol
The state's highway patrol officers will now have authority over the situation in Ferguson, though they'll still be working with local police.
The highway patrol is led by Capt. Ronald Johnson, who the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says is a native of Ferguson.
Johnson, speaking at a Thursday press conference at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, said he was going to work to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the community.
"This means a lot to me personally," he said, according to the Post-Dispatch. "I understand the anger and fear that the citizens of Ferguson are feeling, and I understand and respect both of those."
Johnson and Nixon said the operation in Ferguson would have a softer tone from now on.