OPINION:
Even if the Department of Justice weren’t compromised by blatant bias against certain parts of society, it still shouldn’t be investigating state and local police departments (“DOJ investigates police forces for excessive force, discrimination,” web, Dec. 12).
Whatever the merits of the charges, the Constitution does not grant the U.S. government any authority over state or local police departments.
There are plenty of legitimate mechanisms for dealing with these charges. Each state has a governor, an attorney general, a legislature and a supreme court. Each state has a network of county executives, county councils, mayors, city councils, district attorneys and state, county and local courts. In addition, each state has state, county and local grand and petit juries.
If state and local police departments have problems, state capitols, county seats and local governments — not Washington — should deal with them.
THOMAS M. CRAWFORD
Laurel, Maryland
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