Police are scaling back their presence in Ferguson, Mo. But that doesn't mean their jobs are done, reports CNN.
"There's a lot of work to do," said Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson, who was chosen by the state's governor to head up security as tensions between police and protesters boiled over in the St. Louis suburb.
Protests erupted in Ferguson this month after a police officer shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was unarmed.
Now that the situation has cooled, St. Louis city police officers are heading back to their normal duties, the Missouri National Guard is no longer part of the operation, and some state troopers have pulled out, Johnson said. He also announced that the command center that authorities had been using to coordinate responses to the protests was shutting down.
There's been a notable change on the ground, Johnson said: Law enforcement is listening as protests continue. And officers must keep trying to build better relationships with the community going forward, he said.
"When this first started ... I wondered if there would be a day that law enforcement and the community would see peace together," he said. "And I've seen that. I've seen hands being held. I've seen adults laughing. I've seen kids taking pictures. I've seen policemen listening. I've seen arms come unfolded."
