Law Enforcement’s response to victims of bias crimes and incidents is of the utmost importance. The tools you use—your language, knowledge, demeanor, cultural competence and humility, resources, referral cards, and documentation—impact both the well being of the victim and the success of your investigation.

Our Bias Crimes and Incidents Law Enforcement Response Toolkit provides you with:

• Law Enforcement Bulletin – A general overview of the new Bias Crime law and law enforcement obligations under the new law.
• The New Law – A link to the full text of 2019’s Enrolled Senate Bill 577.
  • ORS 147.380 defines a Bias Incident under Oregon law.
  • ORS 166.155 defines misdemeanor Bias Crime in the Second Degree under Oregon law.
  • ORS 166.165 defines felony Bias Crime in the First Degree under Oregon law.
  • ORS 163.191 defines misdemeanor Intimidation by Display of a Noose under Oregon law.
  • ORS 136.760-136.773 and Oregon Administrative Rule 213-008-0002 outline enhancement facts (non-exhaustive list) that can increase penalties on felonies committed with bias motivation
• Federal Hate Crimes: A Quick Overview
  • 18 U.S.C. § 245 covers violent interference with federally-protected rights
  • 18 U.S.C. § 249, aka the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 and the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act of 2022, covers bias-motivated violence against a person (and attempts with a weapon)
  • 18 U.S.C. § 247 covers damage to religious property
  • 42 U.S.C. § 3631, the federal Fair Housing Act, covers violent interference with access to housing
  • 18 U.S.C. § 875 and 18 U.S.C. § 876 covers threats via internet, text or mail; bias motivation is not required but may be a sentencing enhancement
• Law Enforcement Supplemental Report Form – A form to supplement your narrative report, guiding law enforcement through a bias investigation, including tracking targeted class(es), identifying evidence, tracking bias indicators, and more.
• Law Enforcement Bias Incident Documentation Portal – An easy-access web portal for law enforcement personnel only to document bias incidents. Either upload your report or Supplemental Report Form, or respond to 13 quick questions to report bias incidents to the DOJ Statewide Bias Response Hotline. Oregon DOJ recommends documenting bias incidents, but this is not a requirement under the law.
• Bias Victim Referral Pocket Card (English | عربي (Arabic) | বাংলা (Bengali) | درى  (Dari, Afghan) | فارسی  (Farsi) | Tagalog (Filipino) | français (French) | हिंदी (Hindi) | lus Hmoob (Hmong) | Italiano (Italian) | 日本語 (Japanese) | ខ្មែរ (Khmer) | 한국인 (Korean) | ລາວ (Lao) | नेपाली (Nepali) | پښتو (Pashto) | Português (Portuguese) | ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi) | Русский (Russian) | Gagana fa‘a Sāmoa (Samoan) | 简体中文 (Simplified Chinese) | Soomaali (Somali) | Español (Spanish) | Kiswahili (Swahili) | தமிழ் (Tamil) | తెలుగు (Telugu) | ไทย (Thai) | українська (Ukrainian) | اُردو (Urdu) | Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese) | Yoruba (Yoruba) – A resource card with scannable QR code to provide to victims to help them report to the Oregon Bias Incident and Hate Crimes Hotline. We can mail them to you! Submit this form to make a request.
• Bias Response Law Enforcement Pocket Card – A reminder card for law enforcement with scannable QR code (to our website!) to help you respond on scene at a bias incident or bias crime.
• Suggested Language for Law Enforcement Responding to Bias Incidents and Crimes – A review of helpful language and demeanor tips to use when interfacing with victims of and witnesses to bias.
• Tips for a Media Statement After Bias/Hate Crime or Incident – Guidance for issuing a statement or press release after a hate crime or bias incident.
• Qualifying Local Victim Services – Coming soon! A list of local community-based agencies that provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive support to bias victims.
• Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Center on Extremism – A number of tools to assist your investigation including:
  • Hate Symbols Database, which provides an overview of many of the symbols most frequently used by a variety of hate groups, and
  • Glossary of Extremism, which provides an overview of many of the terms most frequently used by a variety of extremist groups and movements.
• Responding to Hate Crimes: A Police Officer’s Guide to Investigation and Prevention – a toolkit from The International Association of Chiefs of Police.
• Bias Crime Assessment: A Tool and Guidelines for Law Enforcement and Concerned Communities – information regarding the Bias Crime Assessment Tool (BCAT) from the Vera Institute of Justice and the U.S. Department of Justice.
• Bias Response Emergency Fund – A limited resource to assist victims of bias crimes and bias incidents in their recovery.  This fund can help with security measures, relocation costs, rent/utility/food bills, and property repair stemming from bias.  Please contact or refer victims to the Bias Response Hotline for assistance.

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Bias Crime Investigations and Prosecutions: Tools and Strategies for a Successful Case - 2023 Symposium

November 20, 2023, Select Training Materials:

• Hate/Bias Crime Reporting Trends (Ken Sanchagrin and FBI)
• State and Federal Investigations and Prosecutions (Gavin Bruce & BJ Park)
• MDT Model and Tools (Allison Brown)
• Using Community Resources Panel Discussion
  • Civil Rights Unit
  • ADL PNW
  • ADL Professional Development Opportunities for Law Enforcement

Hate and Bias Crimes: What you need to know about Investigations, Prosecutions and Victims - 2022 Symposium

June 23, 2022, Law Enforcement, Prosecutor, and Systems-Advocate Training Materials:

• Agenda and Presenter Bios
• The Laws
  • A History of Oregon’s 2019 SB 577: Hate Crimes, Bias Incidents, and the Oregon DOJ Bias Response Hotline, by Civil Rights and Social Justice Director Fay Stetz-Waters
    • Summary of Oregon Bias Crime and Incident Law Changes
    • Bias Crimes Assessment Tool, by Vera Institute of Justice
  • Oregon Bias Crime Laws: A Walk through Past and Current Statutes, by BJ Park
  • Federal Hate Crimes, by AUSA Gavin Bruce
    • Federal Hate Crimes: A Summary
• Investigations
  • Albany Police Department Model Hate Crime and Bias Incident Response Policy, presented by Sergeant Steve Corder
  • Investigation Tips, Prosecution Guidance, and How to Work with Victims, by BJ Park
  • Federal Hate Crimes Investigations, by FBI Special Agent, FBI Intelligence Analyst, AUSA Kate Rykken
• Impact
  • Hate Crimes and Bias Incidents: Why Awareness and Understanding are so Important, by Dr. Randall Blazak, Coalition Against Hate Crimes Chair

If you have any questions or need technical assistance, please contact Johanna Costa, DOJ’s Bias Response Coordinator at Johanna.Costa@doj.oregon.gov, or Fay Stetz-Waters, DOJ’s Civil Rights Director at Fay.Stetz-Waters@doj.oregon.gov, or call our Civil Rights front desk at 503-378-6324.

Bias Response Training – Request Form

The Oregon DOJ Civil Rights Unit provides training for law enforcement agencies on bias response (hate/bias crimes, bias incidents, working with federal partners, helping victims, and more). We can come to you or provide a virtual training. Please sign up below if you are interested.

Bias Victim Referral Pocket Card – Order Form