Press Release
U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts Event for United Against Hate Initiative
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Alaska
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska is partnering with Federal, State and local law enforcement to deliver a series of community events designed to educate the public about hate crimes, hate incidents and discrimination.
The first outreach event was held in Anchorage on Sept. 7, 2023. It focused on building relationships with organizations and local leaders who interact with the LGBTQ2SIA+ community in Alaska. The events are part of the U.S. Justice Department’s “United Against Hate” initiative.
United Against Hate is a nationwide initiative focused on convening local forums that connect community groups to Federal, State and local law enforcement to increase community understanding and reporting of hate crimes; build trust between law enforcement and communities; and create and strengthen alliances between law enforcement and other government partners and community groups to combat unlawful acts of hate. The program was launched in September 2022.
“The United Against Hate initiative serves as an avenue to protect our communities, share methods for reporting, encourage reporting of hateful acts, and educate community leaders and members on laws surrounding hate crimes and discrimination,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “We were honored to share the stage with leaders and first responders yesterday as we discussed this important topic. The conversations had at the recent event are a crucial step in combatting acts of hate in the LGBTQ2SIA+ community and continuing to build important relationships between law enforcement and communities in Alaska.”
Yesterday’s event featured a joint presentation from Federal, State and local law enforcement officials and prosecutors. An official from the U.S. Justice Department’s Community Relations Service was in attendance as well. The presentation included information regarding the differences between hate crimes and hate incidents, anti-discrimination laws and the importance of reporting acts of hate to law enforcement. Participants were invited to share views on how law enforcement can best support LGBTQ2SIA+ community members who experience a hate crime or incident.
The event also included a panel of Federal, State and local law enforcement personnel. Participants in the panel included:
- U.S. Attorney Tucker
- Supervisory Special Agent Andy Smith, FBI Anchorage White Collar Squad Supervisor
- Jenna Gruenstein, Alaska Department of Law, Chief Assistant Attorney General
- Captain Tony Wegrzyn, Alaska State Troopers
- Deputy Chief Sean Case, Anchorage Police Department
The U.S. Attorney’s Office will host additional events as part of the United Against Hate initiative, and future events will focus on communicating with different communities across Alaska. These events will encourage further collaboration, support hate crime prevention efforts and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and incidents.
If you are interested in holding an event for a specific community in Alaska, send an email to USAAK.UAH@usdoj.gov.
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Contact
Updated September 8, 2023
Topic
Hate Crimes
Components