The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general is investigating allegations of racial discrimination at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London. A spokesperson for the inspector general said the probe began within the past few months and could take up to a year.
Black cadets in particular have raised concerns about the Coast Guard Academy’s racial climate in recent years, including a perception that minorities are punished swiftly for slight infractions while others face little consequence for harassment.
The Academy is already under pressure from Congress. Last month Democratic U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi proposed a bill to boost racial diversity of Coast Guard cadets.
A spokesperson for the Academy said it’s cooperating with the Department of Homeland Security’s investigation.