PHOENIX (Reuters) ? A controversial Arizona sheriff said on Wednesday he would cooperate with federal officials who have said his office engages in widespread discrimination against Latinos.
The Justice Department said last month that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his deputies violated U.S. civil rights laws by engaging in racial profiling of Latinos and making unlawful arrests in their bid to crack down on illegal immigrants.
It found Arpaio's deputies regularly made unlawful stops and arrests of Latinos and added there was also evidence they used excessive force and failed to protect the Hispanic community adequately.
Arpaio, in a statement, promised "full cooperation" with the investigation. He had a deadline of January 4 to respond to the government's call for cooperation, and officials said they would seek a court order requiring compliance if he refused.
But in a sternly worded letter, lawyers for Arpaio called on the federal government on Wednesday to stop playing politics and provide additional information to back their allegations that his office was guilty of civil rights violations.
"What we want for the Department of Justice to do is play ball," Arpaio said. "In other words, provide whatever proof they may have ... If they cannot prove their findings, which I suspect to be the case, then stop the political posturing."
The response to Thomas Perez, the head of the department's civil rights division, gives federal officials until January 18 to agree to the request. A March 19 deadline was set to provide the information.
The Justice Department's findings stem from an investigation that began in 2008 during the administration of former President George W. Bush. Arpaio still faces a criminal probe. Justice Department officials could not immediately reached for comment.
Separately, the Department of Homeland Security has barred Arpaio's deputies from screening jail inmates for their immigration status.
Arpaio, a conservative Republican known for his tough talking manner, has come under increased fire in recent months for his anti-immigrant tactics and failing to properly investigate hundreds of sex-crimes cases.
Last month, a federal judge barred Arpaio from detaining people simply because they were in the country illegally and sanctioned the sheriff for destroying related documents.
Critics have called on Arpaio to resign his office immediately. Arpaio has repeatedly defended his record and said he would never resign.
(Editing by Tim Gaynor and Cynthia Johnston)
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