NYPD's New Civilian Panel Will Help Combat Hate Crimes

Grace Kim
Updated ·2 min read

The New York Police Department will form a new community-based panel to assist with assessing potential hate crimes, officials announced on Monday.

Responsibilities: The NYPD Hate Crime Review Panel will analyze the various circumstances that make it difficult to determine “whether a victim’s actual or perceived race, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability or sexual orientation were motivating factors in possible hate crime,” a recent announcement read.

  • After collaborating with the NYPD to assess a possible hate crime, the panel will send its recommendation to the District Attorney's office, according to ABC7.

  • "This panel is another layer of rigorous review to ensure that we get it right, these critical cases will be a work in progress, different circumstances will dictate which cases are reviewed," Chief of Department Rodney Harrison said.






About the panel: The hate crime review panel will consist of five community leaders of different ethnic backgrounds.

  • The panelists listed on the announcement include: "Devorah Halberstam, Executive Director of the Jewish Children’s Museum; Fred Teng, President of the America China Public Affairs Institute; Pia Raymond, author, professor and social worker; Ed Powell, the longtime President of the 70th Precinct Community Council; and David Warren, a member of Community Board 4, a board member of ChekPeds, and an active member of OutCycling."

  • The announcement follows the rise of anti-Asian bias and violence since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • According to ABC7, almost half of the 135 attacks that were considered hate crimes in New York City this year have targeted Asians.


Feature Image via @NYPDnews

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