U.S. probes alleged bias by sheriff in public housing inspections

The U.S. Justice Department will investigate alleged discrimination by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies in the Antelope Valley, officials said Thursday. The probe centers on potential civil rights infringements against residents of government subsidized housing, the bulk of whom are black and Latino, in the  historically white area.

The announcement comes after allegations from civil rights lawyers that elected leaders in Lancaster and Palmdale have tried to drive out minority residents.

Many have complained that the inspections of Section 8 residents have involved armed Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies, which they said adds a level of intimidation to the checks.

The probe will specifically focus on the sheriff’s Palmdale and Lancaster stations, sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said.

Federal officials described the probe as a “a pattern and practice investigation.”