Congressman Charles Rangel officially requested Tuesday that the Department of Justice look into recent shooting of New York City Police Officer Omar Edwards and similar cases in other cities across the United States:

"In view of the possible federal legal implications of the case, I am  requesting that your office conduct a thorough review of this incident, which would address the issues of police department practices, training of police officers, and whether and to what extent race was an issue in the tragedy," Rangel wrote in a letter sent to Tuesday to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. "Because incidents of this kind have occurred in a number of cities across the country, I also request that the Justice Department conduct a review of cases in major urban centers in which police officers were killed by their fellow officers, the circumstances of those incidents, and an evaluation of whether the race of the officers was a factor. "

The full text of the letter can be found below. Read a pdf version here.

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June 2, 2009

Hon. Eric G. Holder
Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Attorney General Holder:

Last Thursday, May 28th, New York City Police Department Officer Omar Edwards was killed in the East Harlem area of my Upper Manhattan Congressional District by fellow plain-clothes officer Andrew Dutton as Edwards tried to apprehend a man who had broken into his car.

The incident, which is under investigation by New York City officials, has become the subject of great controversy, rekindling a debate over the adequacy of police training and issues of race as relates to confrontations between police officers.

In view of the possible federal legal implications of the case, I am requesting that your office conduct a thorough review of this incident, which would address the issues of police department practices, training of police officers, and whether and to what extent race was an issue in the tragedy.

Because incidents of this kind have occurred in a number of cities across the country, I also request that the Justice Department conduct a review of cases in major urban centers in which police officers were killed by their fellow officers, the circumstances of those incidents, and an evaluation of whether the race of the officers was a factor.

Due to the gravity and controversial nature of this matter, I respectfully urge you to undertake these reviews with all deliberate speed.

Thank you for your consideration,
CHARLES B. RANGEL

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