The U.S. Department of Justice says it 's concerned about actions taken by the Ferguson , Missouri , Police Department in recent days . Two letters to Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson this week from Justice Department chastised Ferguson police over what officers were wearing -- and in some cases , not wearing . Specifically , the department took issue with some officers wearing bracelets that say `` I am Darren Wilson , '' and other officers who were not wearing their name tags . `` Officers wearing name plates while in uniform is a basic component of transparency and accountability , '' Christy E. Lopez , deputy chief of the Special Litigation Section of the Department 's Civil Rights Division , said in a September 23 letter obtained by CNN . `` The failure to wear name plates conveys a message to the community that , through anonymity , officers may seek to act with impunity . '' The department requires officers to wear a `` name tag '' with their first initial and last name on both their shirt uniform and jacket , according to the letter . The `` I am Darren Wilson '' bracelets are `` exacerbating an already tense atmosphere between law enforcement and residents in Ferguson , '' Lopez said in a separate letter dated Friday . `` These bracelets reinforce the very 'us versus them ' mentality that many residents of Ferguson believe exist . '' Lopez did acknowledge the `` importance of individual expression '' of officers in the letter . Ferguson has been marred by discord and distrust of authorities -- especially among those in its large African-American community -- since the August 9 shooting of Michael Brown , an 18-year-old black teenager killed by Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson , who is white . Despite demands by protesters , Wilson has not been charged in this case , though a grand jury is hearing evidence that could lead to an indictment . Tensions in the St. Louis suburb rekindled this week after one of three memorials for Brown was burned . While many peaceful protesters took to the street Tuesday night , elements within the demonstration stoked chaos , attacking police with guns , rocks and bottles and vandalizing and looting businesses , Missouri Highway Patrol Capt . Ron Johnson said . One person threw a Molotov cocktail at a parking structure , and there was an attempt to set a gasoline fire at a custard shop , he said . Two officers were injured , one of whom was struck by a rock below the eye , Johnson said . Police chief tries to apologize . Emotions spiked following an appearance by Chief Jackson late Thursday night to address the crowd and take questions from protesters . Earlier in the day , he apologized for his department 's actions after Michael Brown 's shooting but pledged not to resign . Dramatically wading into the crowd , Jackson apologized again . `` I 'm sorry , and I said that from my heart , '' he said . `` I had to get that off my chest . It 's been sitting there for two months . '' But not everyone was anxious to hear from him . `` If you are not resigning tonight , go home , '' one man said on a bullhorn . `` What do you want me to do ? '' Jackson asked a protester . `` Talk to me . '' It was shortly after Jackson agreed to walk and talk with the demonstrators that a scuffle broke out a short distance behind the chief , and officers moved in to make arrests . There was no indication that Jackson was directly threatened , but he was quickly escorted inside the police department building . `` Trust -- it takes time , '' Johnson told CNN on Friday . `` I talked to the chief this morning . I think he regrets going out there last night , . Chief says he 's sorry Brown 's body was n't moved sooner . In a CNN interview , Jackson addressed his rationale for staying on the job and not resigning . `` This is mine , and I 'm taking ownership of it , '' he told CNN . Jackson 's interview with CNN came Thursday afternoon , shortly after the release of his video apology to Brown 's parents and the peaceful demonstrators who took to Ferguson 's streets to protest Brown 's death . In that video , the chief expressed regret that it took investigating officers four hours to remove Brown 's body from the street after he was shot dead . `` I 'm truly sorry for the loss of your son . I 'm also sorry that it took so long to remove Michael from the street , '' he said in his video statement . Investigators were doing `` important work '' trying to uncover the truth and collect evidence in those four hours , Jackson said , but `` it was just too long , and I 'm truly sorry for that . '' `` Please know that the investigating officers meant no disrespect to the Brown family , to the African-American community or the people ( in the neighborhood where Brown was shot ) . They were simply trying to do their jobs , '' Jackson said . Asked Thursday afternoon why the apology took so long , Jackson told CNN , `` There 's been so much going on , and every day there 's a different challenge . '' He said he 's been wanting to apologize for `` the time it took to remove Michael from the scene , '' and he feels better now that he 's done it . `` This is something that 's just been weighing on me . It 's something that needed to be said . It should 've been said a long time ago , '' he told CNN .
Department of Justice asks that officers not wear `` I am Darren Wilson '' bracelets . Department also tells police to ensure officers ' name tags are visible on uniforms . Police chief tried to approach protesters before a scuffle breaks out early Friday . Chief apologizes in a video to the Brown family and peaceful protesters .