Q: What will the police do about a hate crime?

A: Depending on the incident, the police may dispatch a cruiser, or may take an initial report over the telephone. In either case, IF the incident is designated as a hate crime, a specially trained hate crime investigator will follow-up at a later time, except in those cases where an immediate arrest has already been made. If the incident is a crime, but does not meet the standard for designation as a hate crime, a detective, or other officer, will usually be assigned to follow-up. It is important to note that not all incidents that involve hateful words or deeds are hate crimes. Some are hate incidents that are not crimes. Others are crimes that are not motivated in whole or in part by hate.

Incidents that are not crimes will be referred to the appropriate resource to best resolve the complaint.