Creating SafeR Communities: Hate Crime Training Offered to RI Law Enforcement Cynthia M. Deitle of The Matthew Shepard Foundation leads a discussion with RI law enforcement.
by Marty Cooper, on behalf of the RI Commission on Prejudice and Bias
A man calls a mosque
just days before the start of Ramadan leaving a message that says, “I planted a bomb and I am going to blow your Temple to bits.� Another person purchases a baby doll at a local discount store, takes a rope, and proceeds to tie a noose around the doll’s neck. Later, on three occasions, he hangs the doll directly in front of the only staircase an African-American family with a young child uses to access their apartment. During a full capacity training, held at the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence on September 25, over 90 law enforcement professionals representing the majority of communities in RI were asked if the two situations above, and several other scenarios, were federal and/or state hate crimes. The all-day event was sponsored by the RI Commission on Prejudice and Bias (RICPB) in conjunction with the Matthew Shepard Foundation, and had support from the Massachusetts Police Training Program. The program was a response to the significant increase in hate incidents and crimes in RI and around the country. According to FBI reports there were 11 hate crimes reported in RI in 2017.
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Another concern was that the state is now home to three active hate groups. The goals of the training were to: TT
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Develop a greater understanding of the need for effective and prompt hate crime enforcement, Strengthen trust between law enforcement and diverse communities, Increase proficiency in recognizing and identifying bias indicators when responding to a potential hate crime, Enhance the skills necessary to engage with a victim in a sensitive and respectful manner, Enhance the ability to determine what facts are necessary to substantiate the criminal charge and the bias motivation, Explore how prosecutors and police can work together effectively to obtain a conviction, and Increase accuracy of reports.
The event began with Cynthia M. Deitle, programs and operations director for the Matthew Shepard Foundation and a former FBI agent, asking each attendee
December 2019 / January 2020
how many years they had served, and how much training they received in the area of hate crimes. The vast majority, with the exception of campus security officers, had only one day of training or less at the municipal police academy, even though most had served multiple years on the force.
Hate crimes affect not only the person, but also the whole community, as they have a fast ripple effect. Asked why there should be hate crime laws, all the responses related to providing better service and security to the community. Hate crimes affect not only the person, but also the whole community, as they have a fast ripple effect. Examples included the increase in hate crimes and incidents after the Pulse nightclub shooting and the Pittsburgh synagogue killings. One attendee said such crimes make people within that community or group feel frightened, even if they live nowhere near where the incident occurred. Most members of the law enforcement community said
