Ferguson, Mo., hires another interim police chief

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — The Ferguson police force has new leadership for the third time in four months.

The city today introduced Andre Anderson, 50, as interim chief. Anderson previously was police commander in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Ariz. – the same city from which Ferguson recently hired its interim city manager, Ed Beasley.

Anderson will take a six-month leave of absence from Glendale. His duties in Ferguson begin Thursday, and he made it clear he's interested in becoming the city's permanent chief.

"I'm hoping that I'm a candidate for the full-time position," Anderson said, but insisted his focus now is on building trust between police and the people of Ferguson.

Several top officials resigned in Ferguson after a scathing U.S. Department of Justice report in March, citing racial bias and profiling in policing as well as a profit-driven municipal court system that frequently targeted blacks.

The Justice Department investigation was initiated after the fatal shooting on Aug. 9 of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was black and unarmed, by a white Ferguson officer.

After the report, Ferguson's municipal judge, city manager and Police Chief Tom Jackson resigned. Assistant chief Al Eickhoff was promoted to interim chief. With Anderson's arrival, Eickhoff will return to his role as assistant chief.

Anderson, like Beasley, is black. Eickhoff and Jackson, who was chief for five years, are white.