Bias-Motivated Hate Crimes Course

On Friday, the Bias-Motivated Hate Crimes course instructed by the Montgomery County Police Department graduated.

This course focused on the responsibility of law enforcement to respond to, investigate, and prosecute offenders who commit crimes motivated by bias against protected characteristics to include race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability. Bias-motivated crimes threaten the stability of a country because they send a message not only to the victim but also to the victim’s entire community that they are not an accepted part of the society in which they live. This message is magnified for a community that has historically been marginalized and subjected to bias, discrimination, or persecution. Law enforcement can be the leaders in recognizing the impact these crimes have on their community. This course taught participants the importance of prioritizing the response to hate crimes; establishing multi-agency task forces; training police officers and prosecutors; responding to hate crime victims’ needs; increasing police presence in high-risk neighborhoods; monitoring hate groups and tracking hate incidents; reaching out to minority communities; and engaging educational institutions, mass media, and others in the community. Highlighted throughout the course was the importance of close collaboration between police and prosecutors, and the communities they serve.