Federal and State Agencies

In spring 2012, CRS and the Maryland Coalition Opposed to Violence and Extremism (COVE) co-hosted a Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Summit in Randallstown, MD. CRS convened more than 300 law enforcement professionals from across the state of Maryland, including representatives from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland, the Maryland State Police, the Towson University Police Chief, and the Maryland Attorney General's Office, among others, to define and discuss hate/bias crimes and incidents, reporting requirements, and the prosecutorial process.

Kentucky's Protection & Advocacy (KYPA), an independent state agency designated by the Governor as the protection and advocacy agency for Kentuckians with disabilities, had become concerned with the Jefferson County Public School District's (JCPS) delivery of services to JCPS students. Specifically, KYPA alleged that African American students-especially those with disabilities-were adversely impacted by disparate services and asked CRS to help KYPA identify strategies for working with JCPS to address KYPA's concerns. In June 2012, CRS facilitated a community forum coordinated by KYPA, the Children's Law Center of Louisville, and the Legal Aid Society of Louisville. Approximately 100 people attended the forum, including officials from JCPS, the NAACP, the African Education Association, Kentucky Youth Advocates, local Hispanic leaders, and the Citizens of Louisville Organized United Together (CLOUT) organization. Following the forum, JCPS representatives agreed to work with community leaders throughout the school year (as needed) to ensure that all students with disabilities-including African American students-are treated equitably.

In May 2012, a 7-year-old Detroit boy, alleged to have been bullied based on his gender, committed suicide. The suicide created outrage and widespread concern among community members, including parents, teachers, students, civil rights leadership, the Michigan Parent Teachers Association, and the Children's Center in Detroit. It also renewed concerns among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender advocates, who had experienced several anti-gay bullying suicides in the past several years. In July 2012, CRS convened a series of meetings with the Michigan Parent Teachers Association, the Detroit Children's Center, the Detroit Police Department, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, the Director of the U.S. Department of Education, the Office for Civil Rights, Equality Michigan, and other community partners in Detroit, who later participated in a CRS-facilitated hate crimes, bullying, and harassment community dialogue. CRS also helped the parties develop a Community Resolution Call to Action-a commitment to provide community-wide anti-bullying education and awareness to parents and students in neighborhoods and schools in Detroit.

In advance of upcoming international events, the FBI Field Office in Cincinnati requested CRS' assistance in training area law enforcement professionals in cultural professionalism. In response, CRS met with area law enforcement professionals and arranged to facilitate and teach multiple cultural professionalism training sessions and CRS' "Arab, Muslim, and Sikh Cultural Awareness Program" (AMS) sessions for the Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) and other local law enforcement agencies in southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky. CRS conducted these sessions during March and April 2012 in Cincinnati. The U.S. Deputy Attorney General, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, the CRS Acting National Director, and the CRS Deputy Director attended the AMS portion of the training on April 3 and participated in a community dialogue with diverse members of the greater Cincinnati area. Both the Mayor and Police Chief of Cincinnati attended this dialogue. In addition, CRS followed up these multiple training sessions with a Train-the-Trainer session for the Cincinnati Police Department Training Academy staff in late April. CRS trained a total of 940 Cincinnati Police officers. The Training Academy staff trained an additional 110 CPD officers in May and June. In all, 1,050 CPD

In May 2012, CRS facilitated a Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act panel discussion at the 2012 annual Colorado Gold Rush-one of the nation's largest transgender conferences. CRS convened officials from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado, the FBI, the Denver Police Department, the Denver County District Attorney's Office, the LGBT Community Center of Colorado, and the Colorado Gender Identity Center to participate in a panel discussion before an audience of nearly 100 transgender community leaders. Panelists provided information related to federal and state hate/bias crimes, best practices for prevention and response, and addressed audience questions. The panel afforded a unique opportunity for federal, state, and local government leadership to engage in dialogue with transgender community members and advocates from across the country.

CRS worked with the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts and the Somali Diaspora Youth Organization during their Youth Conference, which was held in July 2011 at a Boston cultural center. CRS participated in the conference and in dialogues with Somali youth during the two-day conference. CRS listened to concerns expressed by participants, presented information about agency services, and helped the youth develop an ongoing relationship that will support future efforts to ensure that the community feels empowered to have racial profiling and Islamophobia issues addressed.

CRS worked with the United States Attorney (USA) for the Northern District of Ohio in addressing complaints from some of Cleveland's African American residents and civil rights groups over alleged discriminatory treatment by white bar owners toward African American patrons in Cleveland's Warehouse District.CRS provided Conflict Resolution and Cultural Competency training and facilitated a dialogue between City of Cleveland elected officials and administration officials, the local police department, Warehouse District business owners, residents, civil rights groups, clergy, and students. Over 100 attendees participated in the CRS led dialogue and training. On March 4, 2011, CRS and the USA witnessed the signing of the Cleveland Warehouse District Memorandum of Understanding. CRS assisted the parties in reaching consensus on provisions and protocols relating to communication, training, nondiscrimination, and standards of behavior.

CRS facilitated the development of an action plan and the June 30, 2011, signing of a mediated agreement between a Latino civic engagement organization and Kansas City's City Manager. CRS was contacted by a member of a Latino civic engagement organization based on the group's belief that the local Hispanic community was "categorically ignored during hearings on redistricting." CRS met and communicated with organization members and the city's Human Resources Commission. The agreement included the formation of a Hispanic Advisory Committee, an equal employment committee, and enhanced efforts by the City to increase its minority employment and contracting outreach activities.

In July 2010, CRS facilitated the Staten Island Hate Crimes Forum alongside the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, the New York Police Department (NYPD) Hate Crimes Task Force, and the Staten Island District Attorney's Office. CRS services were requested following a reported string of alleged bias attacks and hate crimes against Mexican and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community members. The alleged bias incidents included an attack on a 52-year-old Mexican day laborer and an incident in which a gay Hispanic couple was reportedly attacked by 20 youths.

CRS assisted government community leaders in launching the "We ARE Staten Island" public campaign aimed at providing and soliciting information from the community in an effort to identify solutions to the hate incidents in the Port Richmond area of Staten Island. The campaign has resulted in increased youth engagement, education, and community policing. According to the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, more victims are expected to come forward due to the increased avenues for reporting alleged hate crimes.

In January 2010, CRS provided technical assistance to local, state, and federal officials during community meetings held to identify issues related to emergency relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of a reported earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. CRS facilitated meetings with the Community Relations Miami District Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), DHS Task Force Southeast Incident Command, and local Haitian community leaders. CRS services were requested in response to community tension surrounding the reported perception by local Haitian community leaders that first responders lacked the cultural sensitivity required to respond to the needs of the local Haitian residents as they prepared to assist their families.

Over 15 local organizational leaders met and formed the Haitian American Relief Task Force to represent the Haitian community and the victims of the earthquake as local, state, and federal government agencies dispatched representatives to assist the community in addressing their priorities. The Haitian community gathered at local churches where faith leaders assisted in diffusing potential racial and ethnic tension related to the setting up of temporary emergency centers for earthquake survivors who had returned from Haiti.

In May 2010, CRS was contacted by the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC) Manager, United States Attorney's Office, and District of Nebraska. CRS participated in a full-day training titled "Hate Crime and Bias Awareness" in Omaha, Nebraska in July 2010. The Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice attended and conducted a working lunch session titled "Department of Justice and Its Response to Hate and Bias Crimes." CRS assisted the Nebraska U.S. Attorney's Office by identifying community organizational leaders to participate at the training. CRS mediators also served as panelists along with Nebraska law enforcement, prosecution, and mediation experts. The Service provided information about CRS' resources, services, and expanded jurisdiction under HCPA. There were 75 participants from community organizations and law enforcement agencies throughout Nebraska.

In August 2010, CRS assisted the U.S. Attorney of Wyoming during the annual Wind River Native American Conference. CRS has previously provided services to the Wind River Reservation and border town communities of Riverton and Lander. A recent court decision in Fremont County ruled that the county commission election process was unconstitutional and mandated a different process. This decision reportedly increased the tension level between the American Indian Community and the border town communities, resulting in several threats and allegations of hate crimes directed toward American Indian community members. There was also a report that police-community relations had broken down. During the conference, CRS facilitated a discussion on possible approaches to resolving conflict and assisted the communities toward better police-community relations.

In November 2009, CRS facilitated a dialogue between the command staff of the local Astoria Coast Guard; the command staff of Coast Guard Region 3 Zone 13; the command staff of Coast Guard (Civil Rights) in Washington, D.C.; the leadership of the cities of Warrenton and Astoria; the Clatsop County Sheriff; the Superintendent of Astoria Public Schools; the Chamber of Commerce of Astoria/Warrenton; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and a state senator. The discussion focused on alleged incidents of racial bias toward Coast Guard personnel by some community members in Astoria and Warrenton, the ramifications for the Coast Guard of transferring personnel out of the Astoria Group Airbase due to social climate requests, and ways to eliminate perceived or actual incidents of bias toward Coast Guard personnel of color.

In March 2010, CRS facilitated a dialogue with the U.S. Attorney and leaders from Muslim and Arab communities to address racial tensions in the Greater Puget Sound area. Muslim and Arab leadership concerns included hate crime incidents, employment, and detention concerns. The U.S. Attorney's Office has an interest in the increase in hate and bias incidents, the tension level in Muslim and Arab communities, and how the U.S. Attorney's Office can assist in the reporting of incidents. The U.S. Attorney's Office is also interested in possible prevention activities and in developing better communication with these communities.

In September 2010, CRS participated in an educational summit. The summit was held in response to increased incidents of student bullying and harassment, as well as reports of hate crimes committed on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and disability. The summit focused on training and informing administrators and parents of the legal requirements schools must meet in addressing harassment, bullying, and alleged hate crimes. The summit also addressed how to prevent and respond to hate incidents. CRS provided technical assistance to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, the Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Equity Assistance Center in preparation for the summit.