The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in San Francisco has announced a new strategy to combat hate crimes, which includes collaboration between investigative units, law enforcement, and community outreach, along with a public awareness campaign. The FBI stated that the new strategy for identifying and investigating hate crimes pertains to regions in Northern California. A hate crime is defined as "a violent criminal act against a person or property motivated by bias based on race, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or gender."
Special Agent in Charge Craig Fair said, "We understand that some individuals may be afraid to come forward, but I want to assure the community that we are committed to protecting all crime victims, regardless of their country of origin or immigrant status. Hate and racist acts have no place here and will not be tolerated."
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel confirmed that the office "is working to increase resources to combat hate crimes and will use all authorities granted under federal law to investigate civil rights violations," urging victims to report any hate incidents so that perpetrators can be brought to justice. The strategy involves collaboration among federal investigative units, law enforcement, and community outreach, with the office aiming to expand the scope of investigations under the guidance of experts and specialists.
These specialists will "engage with community members to raise awareness, build trust, and encourage reporting of hate crimes" to the FBI. The agents will collaborate with local law enforcement partners in Northern California "to provide assistance and training on federal hate crime laws."
The FBI invites law enforcement partners to refer potential federal hate crime cases to them, confirming that investigations will be conducted in parallel and coordinated with local law enforcement units and governmental authorities. The services provided by the FBI include expertise in forensics related to identifying and proving hate-based motives, with investigations covering various cases including homicide or arson.
The FBI in San Francisco is increasing its outreach efforts to associations affiliated with minorities, religious organizations, and other groups to enhance cooperation and reduce civil rights violations. The office emphasizes that "transparency and trust are essential to increasing reporting of hate crime incidents to law enforcement," and has announced a public awareness campaign to encourage victims to report all incidents of bias or hate. The office investigates hundreds of these cases each year, working to detect and prevent incidents through training and coordination with its partners.
