US Justice launches probe into Albuquerque police

The U.S. Justice Department is launching an investigation into the Albuquerque Police Department over allegations that officers have used excessive and deadly force.

Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas Perez says officers are entrusted with extraordinary power and departments have a responsibility to ensure their officers exercise that power within the law.

He says the investigation will include a thorough review of APD’s policies and practices.

The probe comes after a string of officer-involved shootings and a number of high-profile abuse cases that have drawn fire from civil rights advocates in recent months. The department has had 25 officer-involved shootings since 2010 – 17 of them fatal.

Albuquerque Mayor Richard says the city has pledged its full cooperation.