WASHINGTON — Say it ain’t so Sheriff Joe.
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit Thursday against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, claiming the Arizona lawman and his department have refused to fully cooperate with the feds’ investigation into allegations his department discriminates against Hispanics in police practices and jail operations.
The Justice Department said it took the latest step “after exhausting all cooperative measures to gain access” to documents and facilities.
The Justice Department said since March 2009 it has tried to secure “secure voluntary compliance with the department’s investigation.”
“The actions of the sheriff’s office are unprecedented. It is unfortunate that the department was forced to resort to litigation to gain access to public documents and facilities,” Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division said in a statement.
