Miami-Dade Police Department Hate Crimes Prevention and Prosecution Program

The Miami-Dade County Police Department (MDPD) submits this application for the BJA FY 23 Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Program Category 2 solicitation, proposing the creation of the MDPD Hate Crimes Prevention and Investigation Program. Along with key partners from the Hate Crime & Elderly Exploitation Task Force—including the State Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Florida International University, Miami Police Department, Homestead Police Department, Miami Beach Police Department, and community-based organization Survivors Pathway—Miami-Dade County’s team stands ready to tackle the scourge of hate crimes in the community.

Following a comprehensive action plan, MDPD will launch a public outreach and education campaign, hate crimes training for police officers, and enhanced criminal investigations aimed at prosecutions. Grant funding is requested for the provision of education, outreach, and training for Miami-Dade County residents, visitors, and the criminal justice community, ensuring hate crimes will be identified and reported in the future. Survivors Pathway will ensure that outreach to and feedback from victims of hate crimes drives the process. Enhanced criminal investigations will round out the impact of the project, affecting change through coordinated, data-driven, and prosecutable investigations. MDPD stands equipped and eager to protect the public through the Hate Crimes Prevention and Investigation Program.