Department of Justice

The DOJ Will Investigate Alton Sterling’s Shooting

The Louisiana attorney general said he would fully cooperate with the federal investigation. WASHINGTON ― The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the shooting death of Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man who was killed by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, early Tuesday morning. “The FBI’s New Orleans Division, the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana have opened a civil rights investigation into the death of Alton Sterling,” said David Jacobs, a spokesman for the department. “The Justice Department will collect all available facts and evidence and conduct a…

Cleveland’s Second Chance at Police Reform

May 27, 2015, 6:19 pm ET by Sarah Childress FRONTLINE Enterprise Journalism Group Cleveland city officials this week signed an agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to impose widespread reforms of the city’s police — marking the second time federal officials have pushed for reforms in the department. The Cleveland police department has been under investigation by the Justice Department for allegations that its officers have a pattern of using excessive force against civilians, in particular against people who are mentally ill. In December, the DOJ found major structural problems in the department, including the use of “poor and…