ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Federal prosecutors in Virginia are devoting additional resources to prosecuting hate crimes and other civil rights cases.
Acting U.S. Attorney For the Eastern District of Virginia Raj Parekh announced Thursday the creation of a civil rights unit within the office’s criminal division.
Prosecutors assigned to the unit will investigate hate crimes, bias-related incidents, and alleged law enforcement misconduct.
The unit’s creation builds on the establishment last year of a civil rights unit that focused primarily on civil matters.
Parekh said the unit’s creation is also in line with mandates from Attorney General Merrick Garland to respond more vigorously to allegations of hate crimes and other bias-related incidents.
