Excessive force by Ferguson police estimated to be 26 times national average.

The Washington Post is reporting on a further look into the past civil rights lawsuits involving Ferguson police officers.

Four federal lawsuits, and more than a dozen investigations, over the past decade have included charges of:  "killing a mentally ill man with a Taser, pistol-whipping a child, choking and hog-tying a child, and beating a man who was later charged with destroying city property because his blood spilled on officers' clothes."

Outside police officials say the nature of such cases suggests there is a systemic problem.   In addition about 13% of Ferguson's police officers have had excessive-force investigations.   There are no comparable national data;   but a study, the National Police Misconduct Statistics and Reporting Project, funded by the Cato Institute, estimated on the basis of 2010 data that about 0.5% of police officers in the United States will be cited for misconduct that involves excessive force.

The Ferguson rate is 26 times that national estimate.

This is not news to the African-American community of Ferguson.   Matthew Brown just happens to be the latest victim.

Ralph