"This is a responsibility for the U.S. Justice Department to get involved," Bernie Sanders said.

Sanders pushes automatic investigations on deaths in police custody

By GABRIEL DEBENEDETTI

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Bernie Sanders called for an automatic Justice Department investigation every time an American is killed in police custody, a new proposal from a candidate who has made criminal justice reform a bigger part of his platform recently.

"This is a responsibility for the U.S. Justice Department to get involved," Sanders said, responding to a YouTube questioner.

"Second of all," Sanders added, "I speak as a mayor who worked very closely — a majority are honest, hard-working people trying to do a difficult job, but let us be clear. If a police officer breaks the law, like any public official, that officer must be held accountable."