The U.S. Department of Justice today
released a report
accusing the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office led by Joe Arpaio with racial
profiling of Latinos and a host of other unconstitutional practices.
“Based upon our extensive
investigation, we find reasonable cause to believe that MCSO engages in a
pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing," the report cites. In addition,
the DOJ document states that Arpaio’s department engages in "racial
profiling of Latinos; unlawfully stops, detains and arrests Latinos; and
unlawfully retaliates against individuals who complain about or criticize MCSO'
policies or practices.”
The charges against the
self-proclaimed “America’s toughest sheriff” come on the heels of charges that
his department “scarcely lifted a
finger to investigate hundreds of sex-crime cases Valley-wide -- many of them
perpetrated against children; many with easily identifiable suspects” according to the Arizona
Republic.
The Depart of Justice report corroborates
years of complaints filed by civil rights groups who have accused Arapio of media-circus
busts of low-wage laborers while neglecting the enforcement of serious crimes.
Personally speaking, the timing of this
report during the holiday season is a blemish on what should be a celebration
of the spirit of compassion. All the same, this important news cannot be
ignored.
Raul Ramos y Sanchez
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