Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, Race Discrimination, Georgia 2022

The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia faces federal charges after allegations of racially discriminatory policing practices. In a shocking move, the office agreed to settle a complaint filed by Delaware State University (DSU) under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

According to sources, the complaint was filed in response to a traffic stop in May 2022, where a bus charted by DSU was stopped by Liberty County Sheriff’s Office deputies. The stop led to the questioning and search of the personal belongings of the passengers, who were primarily Black.

The University alleged that the traffic stop and subsequent search were unlawful and constituted racial discrimination in violation of Title VI. Title VI prohibits recipients of federal funding from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin. The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office is a recipient of federal funding from the Justice Department.

The agreement reached with the Justice Department requires the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office to review its bias-free policing policies, make necessary updates to its policies on traffic enforcement and searches, and develop and implement data collection procedures, among other provisions.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated, “Fairness and racial equity are fundamental principles for effective law enforcement, especially for those agencies that receive federal funding.” Clarke emphasized that the agreement will help ensure that the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office policing practices are free from racial bias and discrimination going forward.

U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg for the Southern District of Georgia added, “Law enforcement is most effective when it is supported by public confidence. The agreement announced today is a step toward ensuring that policing occurs in an evenhanded manner.”

The enforcement of Title VI is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at https://www.justice.gov/crt.

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