Oregon AG announces task force on hate crimes
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced Wednesday the members of a task force that will study hate-motivated crimes.
The task force was created between legislative sessions to review existing legal protections for victims of hate crimes and to make proposals to the legislature for strengthening Oregon’s laws. The task force will also look into whether law enforcement have the tools they need to investigate and combat these despicable behaviors.
“Sadly, hate-motivated crimes are a growing phenomenon throughout Oregon. Our task force will review current laws and make proposals to strengthen our ability to support victims and bring perpetrators of these vile acts to account. Nobody should feel unsafe, or unwelcome, anywhere in our state,” Rosenblum said.
“Oregon’s laws governing hate crimes would benefit by a full review and may need to be updated. I’m very pleased with the group we have assembled for this task force, which will be led by my legislative policy director, Aaron Knott, and brings together diverse community perspectives.”
The members of the Attorney General’s Hate Crime Task Force include:
-Tim Fox, Oregon State Police (or delegate)
-Roberto Gutierrez, CAUSA
-DA John Haroldson, Benton County District Attorney
-Amanda Hess, Basic Rights Oregon
-Zakir Khan, Council on American-Islamic Relations
-Kimberly McCollough, ACLU
-Chief Jerry Moore, Salem PD
-Shugat Qalbani, UniteOregon (or delegate)
-Brook Reinhard, Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
-Aaron Knott, Legislative Director, Oregon Department of Justice
-Ellen Rosenblum, Oregon Attorney General, Ex Officio Member
A hate crime is a crime motivated by prejudice in which a person targets a victim because of their race, color, religion, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or other identified personal characteristics.
“It is heartbreaking to think that nearly one year ago, the lives of several families were forever altered after two Oregonians were killed on the max train in Portland trying to stop a man who was spewing hate at two women because of their religion and the color of their skin. That tragedy should remind us that our work to prevent hate in our state is far from over,” Rosenblum said.
If you believe that you or someone you know has been the victim of a hate crime, you should report the crime to your local police, county sheriff or the Oregon State Police. You can also report a crime to the Oregon Department of Justice using the online form at: https://justice.oregon.gov/crimereporting/hatecrime. The Oregon DOJ will ensure that your report is passed to the appropriate authority for investigation.
