Feds sue Sheriff Joe over papers

PHOENIX - Saying their time and patience haves run out, attorneys for the U.S Department of Justice sued Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio Thursday for refusing to provide them with documents they want for their civil rights investigation.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court here, says the agency began a preliminary inquiry of the sheriff's department in 2008 amid allegations that employees have been “engaged in a pattern or practice of discriminatory law enforcement conduct,'' both on the streets and in the jails.

A letter last month to Arpaio, obtained by Capitol Media Services, said the feds specifically are looking into allegations of unlawful search and seizures, discriminatory police conduct, and the failure to provide basic services to people with limited English-language skills. All that is related to questions of disparate treatment of people based on their national origin.

Thursday's lawsuit is the second within two months filed by the Justice Department in Arizona over issues related to race and discrimination.

It sued the state in January over provisions of a new immigration law approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jan Brewer. A federal judge, after hearing arguments, barred several provisions but let other sections take effect as scheduled July 29.

This lawsuit relates to requests the Department of Justice says it began making in March 2009.

To date, according to lawyers for the agency's civil rights division, Arpaio and his department have failed to fully comply with the request. In fact, the lawsuit says, the sheriff's office sent a letter last week saying “it would not cooperate in full with the investigation.''

The lawsuit asks a federal judge to compel Arpaio and his administration to produce the documents already sought “and all future requests.''