Hate Crime Prevention
Hate Crime Awareness
It is the policy of this department to safeguard the rights of all individuals irrespective of their disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and/or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. Any acts or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes motivated by hate or bias will be viewed very seriously and given high priority.
Examples of Hate Violence
- Interfering by force or threat of force with a person’s constitutional rights because of that person’s actual or perceived membership in a protected group
- Willfully disturbing a group of people gathered to worship on the basis of their religion, or attempting to discourage religious activities by threats of violence
- Assault on a person on the basis of actual or perceived membership in a protected group
- Damage to a person’s property because of that person’s actual or perceived membership in a protected group
What is a Protected Group?
Hate Crimes mean a criminal act committed in whole or part because of one or more of the following actual or perceived characteristics of the victim:
- Disability
- Gender
- Nationality
- Race or ethnicity
- Religion
- Sexual orientation
- Association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics