SPOKANE, Wash. — The Eastern District of Washington’s U.S. Attorney’s Office has been chosen to advance anti-hate crime efforts with a program called United Against Hate.
The program, which seeks to directly connect federal, state and local law enforcement with traditionally marginalized communities to build trust and encourage hate-crime reporting, is part of the office’s ongoing efforts to increase resource dedication to civil rights, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“I am honored that our office has been chosen to take the lead nationally in the fight against hate crimes with the United Against Hate outreach initiative,” U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref said. “Combating hate and hate-driven offenses is vital to our mission of building stronger and safer communities for everyone.”
The choice for Eastern District of Washington was made in November, but the announcement was made yesterday. The district is one of three others chosen out of 94 in the nation.
The program itself will involve a panel presentation from subject matter experts in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement partners. These experts will deliver the presentation based on direct discussions with members of marginalized communities and those populations most vulnerable to hate crimes.
Right now, hate crimes can be prosecuted under Washington state law and some federal laws, but often aren’t due to a lack of reporting.
By making direct contact with the communities most vulnerable to hate crimes and hate incidents, law enforcement is hoping to provide more visibility into reporting systems and highlight the importance of reporting hate crimes and hate incidents, according to the press release.
Additionally, the initiative will attempt to break down barriers between law enforcement and the community so victims of hate crimes feel more comfortable reporting incidents when they happen.
Based on the Department of Justice’s National Crime Victimization Survey, between 2010 and 2019 over 55% of hate crimes nationwide were not reported to law enforcement. When this percentage is applied to FBI Crime Data for Spokane, it indicates that as many as 25 hate crimes may have been left unreported between 2019 and 2020, the press release said.
“While hate cannot be defeated by law enforcement alone, law enforcement has a vital role to play in protecting the public and marginalized groups from hate-motivated offenses and in communicating our shared values and fostering hope that our communities can be safer, stronger and more inclusive,” U.S. Attorney Waldref said. “Hate crimes and hate incidents, including hate speech, do not reflect the values of Eastern Washington and have no place in our communities, our law enforcement, or our criminal justice system.”
The United States Attorney’s Office also announced increased civil rights enforcement resources and efforts.
Additional Assistant U.S. Attorney and staff resources will be made available, U.S. Attorney Waldref said. This means increased resources in the area of civil rights - such as stronger enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Act, as well as veterans and active service members rights.
Finally, the United States Attorney’s Office also announced its new civil rights web page containing links to resources and information for people who may have experienced or witnessed a civil rights violation.
The web page also provides the public with direct links to online civil rights complaint forms that can be submitted directly to the U.S. Attorney’s Office or the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
“We cannot bring the full force of the people’s power against hate crimes, hate incidents and other civil rights violations without individuals being given opportunities to come forward,” U.S. Attorney Waldref said.
The office also now has a dedicated civil rights email account, USAWAE.CivilRights@usdoj.gov, and phone number, (509) 835-6306, for the public’s use.
These lines and accounts are monitored frequently for quick review and response, and Spanish translation is available, made possible by the Gonzaga University Modern Languages and Literature department.