DOJ to Arpaio: Stop stalling the investigation

January 17, 2012

The Department of Justice says the Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is trying to further delay the civil rights investigation into his department.  Arpaio has asked for more information from the feds. KJZZ’s Al Macias reports.

AL MACIAS: The justice department found a pattern of racial profiling, civil rights violations and retaliatory practices against Hispanics in Maricopa County.

In a strongly worded letter, Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez said the claim that MCSO does not know the basis of the findings strains credulity.

Perez says the sheriff’s office requests would require DOJ to ”return your own documents to you."

The letter also cites several other cases and examples where the information the sheriff’s office is requesting can be found, including Sheriff Arpaio’s own Twitter feed.

If the sheriff’s department fails to voluntarily address the civil rights violations, the feds have said they will sue the sheriff’s department.

Listen to the story here.