Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles announced Thursday the creation of a Civil Rights Section within the U.S. Attorney’s Office to focus exclusively on enforcement of federal civil rights laws, including statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin.
“My office is committed to protecting the civil rights of every single resident in our district,” U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker said. “The formation of the Civil Rights Section will increase our capacity to address civil rights complaints and enhance our community engagement on these issues. Protecting these rights, and especially those of our most vulnerable residents, is one of my top priorities.”
The newly formed section — headed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joanna Hull — will focus on enforcing federal laws that prohibit discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin; prohibit police misconduct; protect the constitutional rights of institutionalized persons; protect the employment rights of individuals serving in our armed services; and prohibit discrimination in housing and lending.
The section will also focus on increasing community outreach on these issues.
This week, more than three dozen assistant U.S. attorneys from across the country who handle affirmative civil rights enforcement matters are in Los Angeles for training. The training will provide prosecutors with in-depth instruction on various civil rights enforcement topics.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California serves residents in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. The Central District of California, with a population of more than 19 million people, is the largest federal district in the nation.
–City News Service