The Missouri State Highway Patrol will take control of policing protests in Ferguson, Mo. from the St. Louis County Police Department, Governor Jay Nixon announced today.

The news comes after widespread criticism of the ways in which demonstrations relating to the death of Michael Brown at the hands of police have been handled in the area. "We are going to have a different approach and have the approach that we're in this together," patrol captain Ronald Johnson said at a press conference this afternoon. "I understand the anger and fear that the citizens of Ferguson are feeling, and our officers will respect both of those."

County police will remain active, but state troopers will be tasked with heading up the security effort, Nixon said. The governor called for "a different tone" on the ground, ABC reports, and said that the name of the officer who shot Brown should be released. "I would hope that the appropriate release of that name, with the security around it if necessary...be done as expeditiously as possible," he said, adding that law enforcement has the "methods and abilities to do that."

[Image via AP]