LA County Sheriff's Dept. denies claims of racial profiling in special drug unit

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is coming under fire for reports of racial profiling.

The allegations stem from a watchdog investigation into the sheriff's Domestic Highway Enforcement Team.

Eyewitness News did a ridealong with the team last year.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the special assignment team stopped thousands of innocent Latinos on Los Angeles County roadways.

The sheriff's department issued a statement denying it engages in racial profiling. The statement reads in part: "We do not racially profile. We make stops based on behaviors and vehicle code violations, not ethnicity..."