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October 29, 2014, 4:46 PM Last updated: Wednesday, October 29, 2014, 4:46 PM

AP

Attorney General Eric Holder in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014.

WASHINGTON Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday that there was an obvious need for "wholesale change" in the Ferguson, Missouri, police department.

The Justice Department is conducting a broad investigation into the practices of the police department following the Aug. 9 police shooting of an unarmed black 18-year-old, Michael Brown. That investigation focuses on alleged patterns of racial discrimination and on how officers in the predominantly white department use force and search and arrest suspects.

Local and federal authorities are also continuing to investigate the shooting of Brown by Officer Darren Wilson for potential criminal charges. A St. Louis County grand jury is expected to decide by mid-November whether to indict Wilson.

In a question-and-answer session with a newspaper columnist at the Washington Ideas Forum, Holder would not say what the reforms should be or discuss potential leadership changes at the department. But he did say, "I think it's pretty clear that the need for wholesale change in that department is appropriate."

A government official confirmed Wednesday that there are discussions among Missouri officials about having Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson step down as part of efforts to change the department. The official was not authorized to discuss those talks by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The police department posted on its Twitter account that Jackson had not resigned and had not been asked to resign.

During a wide-ranging interview session, Holder was also asked about his 2009 characterization of the country as a "nation of cowards" when it comes to racial matters. He said he stood by those remarks and that the country was "still reluctant to talk about issues of race" and does so only during "episodic cases."

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Holder: Ferguson, Missouri, police need 'wholesale change'