BJA FY 23 Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Program

This proposal from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Hate Crime Task Force (HCTF) seeks grant funding o help prevent and address hate crimes occurring in Los Angeles County. The HCTF will partner with all 23 LASD patrol stations and bureaus throughout Los Angeles County to provide additional community outreach and inter-departmental training specific to hate crimes. The LASD HCTF will additionally partner with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Hate Crimes Unit to provide hate crime information for patrol investigators, in order to assist with referring hate crime cases for filing and prosecution.

The funding will support the HCTF’s participation in community outreach events in all 23 patrol station areas the LASD provides policing services for, by assisting with the purchase of reprographic materials and public relations equipment for outreach purposes. The LASD HCTF would also place specific emphasis on promoting and educating the public on LASD’s acceptance and prioritization of non-criminal hate incident reports, which is not a standard practice amongst all law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles County and the nation. Added Departmental training specific to hate crimes would also be developed and provided to LASD personnel. Overtime is allocated for HCTF personnel to ensure that LASD subject matter experts on handling hate crimes and hate incidents are present at outreach and training events to provide vital information to the public and to Department personnel.

The LASD has not previously received funding under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Program. The LASD and communities they serve—which have experienced an increase in hate crimes and hate incidents—would greatly benefit from the expanded training and outreach efforts made possible by this award funding.