PALMER PARK, Md. (AP) - Black and Hispanic police officers in a majority-black Washington suburb are asking the Justice Department to investigate their claims of discrimination in the police department.
News outlets report that the Prince George’s County officers have filed a 300-page complaint to the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The complaint includes images of a training dummy with a picture of a black man’s face and an Afro wig. It also shows a photograph of a police sergeant’s vehicle with a personalized license plate that has an obscene message apparently aimed at former President Barack Obama.
Police Chief Hank Stawinski told reporters on Thursday he won’t tolerate discrimination in the department. He said the offending license plate has been removed.
The Justice Department has not indicated whether it will launch an investigation into the complaint.
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