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

The statement at a forum in Washington came as the Justice Department continues a broad investigation into the practices of the police department after 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 police 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.

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.”

When asked how he wanted to be remembered, Holder, who last month said he would resign as soon as a successor is confirmed, said, “As a person who tried to make the country better and used the power of his office to raise issues that too often were not addressed.”