Oklahoma NAACP Calls For Federal Investigation Of Police Officer Accused Of Sex Crimes

The president of the Oklahoma NAACP is calling for the U.S. Attorney General to investigate the actions of an Oklahoma City police officer. Daniel Holtzclaw is accused of sexually assaulting at least eight black women. The local NAACP wants the case investigated as a civil rights and hate crime.

Oklahoma NAACP President Anthony Douglas says he wants an extra set of eyes on the Holtzclaw case to see if all the alleged victims were specifically targeted because of race, so he sent a letter to both U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to assist in the police investigation.

In the weeks following the arrest of Oklahoma City Police officer Daniel Hotlzclaw, who is accused of rape while on duty, the Oklahoma NAACP President is asking for a federal investigation, as all the alleged victims were black women and in his patrol area, including Northeast Oklahoma City, at the time of the assaults.

"We look at northeast Oklahoma city, roughly 98% of African Americans, we know that all nationalities travel up and down northeast Oklahoma City, but we're learning that because it's just African American women who have been stopped, and all these things have happened to, we wanted to look at it as a hate crime,” said Douglas. “Did he racially profile only African American women?”

In his letter to Eric Holder, Douglas applauds the Oklahoma City Police Department's efforts, but calls for additional agencies to investigate Holtzclaw, as well as any similar pattern of misconduct done by the department.

"We're not just trying to make this about just African American women, but all women should not be abused, we cannot take women for granted," Douglas said.

But Douglas sent off the letter two weeks ago, and so far, no response.

"And I have not gotten a reply back from either of them, but I sent it to our attorney general also, so it's no surprise that I sent it to Eric Holder that our attorney general is aware of the way we feel in Oklahoma."

Douglas also plans to hold a series of town hall meetings next month to discuss this issue and others.

Meanwhile, Holtzclaw bonded out of jail last week and is on house arrest and will be until he goes to trial.

9/3/2014 Related Story: Bond Reduced For OKC Officer Accused Of Sexual Assaults

Holtzclaw faces several criminal charges, including sexual battery, indecent exposure and rape, forced oral sex, stalking, first-degree burglary for entering one victim's home, and intentionally touching a victim's body in a lewd and lascivious manner.