2 weeks Ago
Amid the debate surrounding Gov. Ned Lamont’s sound proposal to revise and strengthen hate crime laws in Connecticut, we must step back and again remind ourselves about an alarming reality. We’ve seen a 50 percent increase in reported hate crimes in Connecticut just since 2021.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Defamation League says that over the past five years it has seen a 450 percent increase in incidents they document in Connecticut. There is a problem with hate in Connecticut and it isn’t going away. How we address this matters a great deal.
And just as law enforcement would respond to a surge in violent crime, auto thefts, or to disrupt the flow of illegal drugs through our state, it is our duty at the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to organize and take a leadership role. We are not waiting to respond to what Gov. Lamont has described as the unconscionable targeting of people “because of the color of their skin, the religion they practice, the person they love, their country of birth, or any other personal attributes that identify who they are.
’’ Make no mistake: I am directing the use of all resources within this agency to address the 50 percent increase in hate crimes. Our collective goal is to make Connecticut a safe place to live, work, study, and visit, and the public’s role in this mission is crucial. As DESPP Commissioner, I oversee six divisions and more than 900 Connecticut state troopers, including the detectives in our Hate Crimes Investigative Unit.
In addition to investigating these crimes, I have directed Colonel Daniel Loughman and Michael Bloom, director of the newly created Office of External Affairs to work collaboratively in educating and informing both residents and law enforcement through DESPPs interdisciplinary approach. As director of the Office of External Affairs Bloom will lead our outreach efforts across the state, particularly with building relationships with nonprofit and interfaith leaders. Under the leadership of our Chief Data Officer Dr.
Michael Mascari, our newly assembled data team tracks and rapidly analyzes the information we collect, sharing it with local law enforcement and the public. What does this mean? Instead of waiting until late this year to share hate crime statistics with municipal police, we are pushing this data out quarterly. Police cannot respond if they don’t understand the emerging trends.
For example, the data tells us that race and religion remain the top motivations for hate crimes, closely followed by sexual orientation. We know that most victims have no relationship with the offender. And we know that these crimes are occurring in places where we all deserve to feel safe — at home, on a college campus, or along a public sidewalk.
Helping police departments, schools, and community leaders better understand hate crimes and hate speech is a top priority. The Hate Crimes Investigative Unit, working with the Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Council, endeavor to make it easier for Connecticut law enforcement to do their job – and when necessary to arrest and prosecute offenders. I strongly agree with Chief State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin that we must “send a clear and unambiguous message to the people of this state that we are not indifferent to hate.
’’ This means we must have hate crime laws that are comprehensive and concise. In the meantime, we will not stand by. At DESPP we are mobilizing, organizing, building relationships, and focusing on the communities most affected by hate crimes.
Ronnell A. Higgins is commissioner of the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, which includes the Connecticut State Police. Previously Higgins served as Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety and then Associate Vice President of all Public Safety at Yale University.
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