The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami has begun an investigation of allegations by a Manalapan resident that the town’s Police Department engages in racial profiling.
Resident Kersen De Jong first filed a formal complaint with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in December. The FDLE said it lacked jurisdiction and referred the complaint to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tallahassee.
The case has since been transferred to the U.S. Attorney’s Miami office.
Manalapan Police Chief Carmen Mattox also has sought a review of the police department practices with the FDLE, FBI and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. The FBI also said it lacked jurisdiction.
An attorney for De Jong has notified the town that a former houseguest of his agreed to return to the United States to be interviewed. De Jong has said his friend, Donald Billings, was followed to De Jong’s home without reason on several occasions several years ago.
De Jong also has complained that both Mattox and Police Officer Wayne Shepherd told him that police policy was to keep visitors out of town. Both Mattox and Shepherd have denied that.
In February, De Jong’s lawyers demanded that both Mattox and Shepherd be fired and that the town establish an anti-profiling policy as required by state law. In a letter to De Jong’s attorney, Town of Manalapan attorney Jeffrey Pheterson said the town has an anti-profiling policy.
— Tim O’Meilia
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