The Trump administration is considering closing a significant Justice Department office established in the 1960s during the civil rights movement, sparking concerns about the potential loss of decades of efforts aimed at reducing and preventing unrest in the country’s major urban areas.
An internal memo from the Justice Department, reviewed by CBS News, indicates that Trump appointees are contemplating the closure of the Community Relations Service, which was created under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The office’s mission is to serve as “America’s peacemaker,” focusing on “preventing and resolving racial and ethnic tensions, conflicts, and civil disorders, and restoring racial stability and harmony.”
The Community Relations Service does not possess investigative or prosecutorial powers and does not engage in law enforcement activities. Its services are confidential and offered at no cost to communities that seek them. In 2021, the agency expressed its aim to help fulfill Martin Luther King Jr.’s “inspiring dream of a vibrant, all-embracing nation unified in justice, peace, and reconciliation.”
Historically, the office has intervened during times of heightened national unrest. It played a key role in averting violence in 1993, as racial tensions resurfaced following the second trial of police officers who beat Rodney King in California.
Furthermore, it assisted in mitigating racial tensions after the fatal police shooting of a Chinese-American man in Rohnert Park, California, in 1997, and also intervened in Akron, Ohio, in 2022, following an incident involving police and a Black man. The office also deployed to Minneapolis during the trial of Derek Chauvin, linked to the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota in 2020.
Former leaders of the Community Relations Service express concern that closing the office could escalate conflicts between police departments and minority communities across the nation.
“We would find and extinguish small disputes before they turned into major issues,” said Ron Wakabayashi, a former regional director for the Community Relations Service. He shared concerns with CBS News that the nation might face increased risks of unrest, boycotts, and lawsuits without the agency’s preventative capabilities deployed throughout the country.
The low-profile nature of the Community Relations Service has contributed to it being lesser-known, even among federal leaders, despite its importance to the Justice Department, according to former officials. Community Relations Service staff have quietly engaged with church leaders, community figures, victims’ families, and city officials to help avert unrest, lawsuits, or boycotts.
President John F. Kennedy envisioned the office in the early 1960s, advocating for federal experts to “identify tensions before crises arise” and “work discreetly to alleviate tensions and enhance relations in communities experiencing unrest.”
The introduction of hate crimes legislation following the murders of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. in the late 1990s broadened the office’s scope to include issues of gender, sex, religion, and other protected groups, according to Wakabayashi.
He noted that experienced staff members from the Community Relations Service developed long-term relationships with leaders in major cities, including those from faith-based organizations and police departments, to build credibility and enhance their capacity to mediate conflicts.
At one time, the office employed approximately 600 professionals, including mediators and community outreach specialists, across regional offices in cities such as Philadelphia, Dallas, Seattle, Detroit, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Boston.
The Justice Department memo cited by CBS News suggests that some staff from the Community Relations Service might be reassigned to prosecutor’s offices nationwide. Former employees warn that such a reorganization could undermine the federal government’s ability to preempt racial conflicts in U.S. cities, as community activists may be reluctant to collaborate with peacemakers seen as affiliated with prosecutorial entities.
Bert Brandenberg, a 30-year veteran of the Community Relations Service, along with former Justice Department officials, expressed skepticism about plans to close the office: “During periods of heightened racial tensions, wouldn’t it make sense to have personnel embedded in communities to prevent conflicts, boycotts, or unrest?”
“Effective violence prevention occurs when communities view mediators as honest brokers they can confide in while addressing issues, which is distinct from the crucial role of prosecutors in holding offenders accountable,” Brandenberg told CBS News.
The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment.
In a July 2024 speech, Justin Lock, a former director of the Community Relations Service, praised the office’s achievements. Lock stated that the office had been “at the intersection of some of the most critical moments in our nation’s journey toward justice.”
“In 2020, when Americans rallied in solidarity with the residents of Brunswick, Georgia; Louisville, Kentucky; and Minneapolis, Minnesota, following the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, CRS acted as an impartial, confidential facilitator, helping stakeholders to identify and implement solutions for community healing and progress,” Lock remarked.
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois, commended the office’s efforts in easing tensions between minority communities and the government and voiced alarm over the potential cuts. “At a time when hate crimes and community tensions are increasing, diminishing support for this vital office would be a significant error,” he stated. “I urge the DOJ to reaffirm its commitment to fostering trust and enhancing safety in all our communities.”
