(Angela Weiss/AFP)
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office in January, federal officials fear that ongoing investigations into police department reforms, including sex crimes investigations, may be abandoned under the new administration. According to a report from The New York Times, Trump’s past stance against federal oversight of law enforcement has sparked concerns that his presidency could halt progress in critical reforms initiated by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
DOJ Investigations at Risk
Two years ago, the DOJ opened inquiries into 12 police departments, including the New York Police Department’s (NYPD) Special Victims Unit (SVU), a unit known for its storied history but marred by scandals. These investigations, aimed at addressing systemic issues such as mishandled sex crime cases, remain ongoing. However, federal officials now worry that Trump’s administration will block efforts to finalize reforms.
Ellen Blain, a former federal prosecutor who was involved in the DOJ’s investigation of the NYPD’s SVU, voiced her concerns. “It’s entirely possible that his administration would block the Justice Department from securing a pact with New York’s police,” she said, noting that the lengthy nature of these investigations makes them vulnerable to political shifts. “I’m not the only one aware that the clock is ticking, but it is a hard fact that these investigations take a while.”
Trump’s Stance on Police Oversight
Trump’s opposition to federal monitoring of law enforcement is well-documented. During his first term, he moved to roll back Obama-era oversight policies, and his re-election campaign amplified his support for law enforcement. At a rally in Charlotte, N.C., Trump accused Democrats of waging a “war against law enforcement,” declaring, “We will give our police back their power, protection, respect that they deserve.”
Now, as he prepares for his second term, Trump has reportedly signaled privately that he intends to end federal oversight of police departments, according to The Washington Post. This shift could jeopardize reforms designed to address issues like insensitivity and rushed investigations in the NYPD’s SVU, which handles over 14,000 sex crime complaints annually.
Victims at Risk
Critics argue that abandoning these investigations would leave long-standing issues unaddressed, particularly in units like the SVU, where victims have complained for decades about inadequate investigations and lack of justice. Most cases handled by the NYPD’s SVU do not result in arrests or prosecutions, with investigators often accused of failing to gather crucial evidence. As Trump’s administration approaches, the future of these reforms—and the victims who depend on them—remains uncertain.
