Justice Department investigating Suffolk County (NY) Police (treatment of Latinos; follows SPLC report)

Just over a month ago, the Southern Poverty Law Center released a report alleging anti-Latino policing in Suffolk County (Long Island, New York). Now the Department of Justice has launched an investigation (link):

Justice Department investigators “will seek to determine whether there are systemic violations of the Constitution or federal law” by the police, said Alejandro Miyar, a spokesman for the department. The agency notified Suffolk police authorities of the investigation on Sept. 30.

The police commissioner, Richard Dormer, said in a telephone interview that he welcomed the federal investigation into his police force and denied that there had any police discrimination against Latino crime victims.

The report mentions the SPLC, and also quotes someone from Sonia Sotomayor's former group the PRLDEF:

"For a long time Latinos in Suffolk County felt that the Suffolk County police have been hostile or indifferent to their well-being and that they have not been treated as white residents have been treated,” said Foster Maer, senior litigation counsel for LatinoJustice P.R.L.D.E.F., an advocacy group based in Manhattan that had been pressing the Justice Department for the inquiry.

Thu, 10/08/2009 - 20:23 · · Importance: 4