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"Flint Town" is an eight-part documentary series on the Flint police department, directed by Zackary Canepari, Jessica Dimmock and Drea Cooper.

Police Accountability

Zackary Canepari
Feature
A Wisconsin Board Says the Real Victim of Police Misconduct Is … the Government
Michael Bell says Kenosha police killed his son and covered up the truth. A victims rights board had a different takeaway.
Michael Bell Sr., a White man, looks at a high school photo of his son, Michael Bell Jr., a White man, while sitting at a table. Four other photos of Michael are visible beneath the high school photo of Michael Bell Jr.
Signs lie on the ground as a person hovers over one on the left side of the photo, and another person holds one with a gloved hand. A sign in the center reads: "Justice for Sandra Birchmore", and shows a picture of Sandra, a White young woman with brown hair and red-rimmed glasses.
Feature August 30
How a Massachusetts Cop Allegedly Groomed, Controlled and Killed Sandra Birchmore
Matthew Farwell met her in a police Explorer program. Prosecutors say he abused her for years before she became pregnant and he killed her.
By
Three Black women looking pensive toward the right.
Life Inside August 16
A Mother on a Mission for Full Police Transparency
Troy, Alabama, police severely beat Ulysses Wilkerson when he was 17. Seven years later, his mom, Angela Williams, is still fighting for answers.
By Angela Williams as told to
Traffic lights highlight the silhouette of a police officer as they wave their arm.
Closing Argument August 3
They Exposed Police Misconduct. Now They’re Paying a Steep Price.
Whistleblower laws have advanced in public and private sectors, but protections for police who report illegal or unethical behavior lag far behind.
By
People gathered in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 4, 2023 to protest a nationwide settlement with Purdue Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of OxyContin.
Closing Argument July 13
How a Supreme Court Ruling Could Affect a Case Involving Police Abuse of Youth
Another court must now decide how the landmark ruling will impact the Boy Scouts abuse settlement, which involves victims of police sexual abuse.
By
A collage shows a side profile of a Black man in a suit, a clipping that shows a Minneapolis police badge and text, an image of protesters, and a mugshot of the same Black man with bruises on his face.
Feature June 16
The Minneapolis Cop Who Beat Him Pleaded Guilty. He Still Fears the Department Won’t Change.
Jaleel Stallings was swept up in the chaos of protests over George Floyd’s murder. The outcome changed his life.
By
A White person, wearing sunglasses, a green bandana mask and black shirt, holds a poster with the black-and-white image of Elijah McClain, a Black man wearing glasses and a plaid button-up shirt. The poster also reads, "Black Lives Matter. #JusticeForElijahMcClain." There are more protesters marching in the background.
Closing Argument June 15
More States Restricting ‘Excited Delirium’ as Cause of Death in Police Custody
Authorities use the term to describe the condition of some people who die. But some medical organizations say it’s useless or racist pseudoscience.
By
A view from above the awning of the St. Louis Police Department headquarters' entrance, where a man is standing in front of the metal doors. The man’s face is not visible.
Feature June 10
5 Takeaways From Our Series on St. Louis Homicide Investigations
The police department has struggled to solve homicides, partly due to shoddy detective work, staffing shortages and eroding community trust.
By Rachel Lippmann, St. Louis Public Radio; Tom Scheck and Jennifer Lu, APM Reports
Clockwise from top left: Mary Ann Johnson; Calvin Fletcher; Angel Mays; Erica Jones; Monthane Miller-Jones; Carlos Amos; Ronda Williams.
Feature June 7
St. Louis Homicide Cases Often Go Unsolved. Victims’ Families Want Justice.
These St. Louis families have waited years for answers. They say police seem to have forgotten their loved ones.
By Shahla Farzan, Rachel Lippmann and Brian Munoz, St. Louis Public Radio; and Tom Scheck, APM Reports
In a photo collage in tones of yellow and black and white, from left, The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) seal; two members of the St. Louis Police Department Crime Lab walking with their backs to the camera; DNA testing strips and a person using a microscope; dollar bills being cut with scissors; two members of the SLMPD overlaid on a chart that shows that in 2011, there were 921 officers and in 2024, there were 650 officers; Additional text says “Homicide numbers spiked as police staffing dropped.”
Feature June 6
As Murders Increased, St. Louis Police Struggled for Resources to Solve Cases
The city’s homicide unit has dealt with short staffing, long hours and a ballooning DNA backlog.
By Tom Scheck and Jennifer Lu, APM Reports; Rachel Lippmann, St. Louis Public Radio
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