Police in Ferguson, Mo., should help keep the peace if protests follow a court ruling in the Michael Brown case, and act — aggressively, if needed — to contain any repeat of rioting that accompanied past demonstrations, says security expert and former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik.
"The bottom line is, the police have a job to do," the Kerik Group CEO told "MidPoint" host Ed Berliner on
Newsmax TV Thursday. "They're going to to do their job, and the protestors, if they protest peacefully, that's fine."
Story continues below video.
Note: Watch Newsmax TV now on DIRECTV Ch. 349 and DISH Ch. 223
Get Newsmax TV on your cable system — Click Here Now
"But if they don't," Kerik continued, "if they seek to destroy property … and harm people and throw Molotov cocktails and shoot guns into the air, like they did the last time, there's going to be action taken by the police. And that action should be very aggressive to keep this community safe and secure."
While grand jurors weigh an indictment of the Ferguson police officer, Darren Wilson, who shot the unarmed 18-year-old Brown, state and local police in Missouri have been mobilizing and training for possible street violence.
A grand jury verdict could come as early as next week, according to several news reports.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said on Tuesday that "the ugliness" marring earlier protests "cannot be repeated" and that deploying National Guard troops to help quell violence is an option.
Kerik called troops "a backup" and "sort of a last resort" in the event that a demonstration "gets out of hand."
"I don't think it's necessary to put them in the forefront, unless it's absolutely necessary, and that's a decision made by the governor," said Kerik.
Brown's parents, who addressed the
United Nations this week, have called for calm, whatever the verdict.
Protests erupted in Ferguson after Brown's shooting on Aug. 9 and continued for weeks, with some demonstrations boiling over into clashes with police and looting of local businesses, some of which remain closed.
Supporters of Brown, who was black, have called him a victim of excessive force and bias in policing against African-Americans. But news leaks from the court proceedings have indicated that self-defense claims by Wilson, who is white, might be corroborated by case evidence and could sway jurors.
Whatever the ruling, Kerik said that police in Ferguson "have to stand their ground."
He said that standard police riot gear is a needed resource in the event of unrest, and he did not argue against police having access in Ferguson to heavier, more military-grade equipment.
"The riot control stuff is going to be what they use initially," said Kerik. "If people get out of hand — Molotov cocktails, gunfire and things like that — then I'm sure you'll see a very different response."
Kerik also spoke on security in New York City.
Watch the video here.
Related Stories:
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.