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Posted: January 23, 2002
On Wednesday, January 23, 2002, the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) New England Regional Office distributed "Hate Crimes Response Cards" to over 1,000 officers in 50 campus police/public safety departments at schools across New England. The laminated, pocketsize cards - which contain strategies for effectively recognizing and responding to hate crimes - were distributed during roll calls at universities throughout the area. Many schools are also putting together coordinated programming on the issue of hate crimes and bias incidents.
"In response to recent events we have seen significant instances of intergroup tension on college campuses," said Robert Leikind, ADL New England Regional Director. "Sometimes these tensions lead to incidents of bias, harassment or worse. It's exciting to see such a powerful commitment by campus public safety departments to use this hate-fighting tool."
According to the U.S. Department of Education's 2001 Report to Congress, hates crimes on American campuses have increased from 1,312 in 1997 to 2,067 in 2001.
ADL's Hate Crime Response Card distribution is part of a major, combined effort with the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) to educate campus police and public safety officials on how to effectively respond to hate crimes. Through a similar initiative last year, the ADL cards were distributed to 17,000 police officers in 190 police departments throughout Massachusetts including the Massachusetts State Police.
This is what some Campus Police Chiefs and Public Safety Directors are saying about this initiative:
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"The North Atlantic Chapter of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) is proud to be a co-sponsor of this ADL project," said Brian C. Pray, Director of Public Safety at Salem State College and President, IACLEA North Atlantic Chapter.
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"I believe there is some confusion among officers over what is a hate crime vs. what is a hate incident," said Robert Morse, Chief of Police, Boston College. "Both can do terrible damage not just to individuals, but to whole communities… and in this case the college campus. The ADL cards are a timely and important tool for helping officers respond to hate-motivated crimes and incidents."
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"Using these cards and taking a more proactive stance will benefit universities immensely," said Brandeis Director of Public Safety Edward Callahan. "I saw one of these cards last year when they were being distributed to local police and I thought it was such a useful tool that I immediately made copies of the card and distributed them to my own officers! The succinct nature of the cards helps officers identify and respond to bias incidents and hate crimes faster and more effectively."
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ADL's Hate Crime Response Card is an excellent tool for helping officers identify and deal with these hateful acts when they occur," said John D. Jackson, Chief of Police, Babson College. "Since September 11, there's a heightened awareness in society as well as on university campuses that hate left unchecked can cause great harm. These cards, on the other hand, can do a lot of good."
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"Hate-motivated incidents are never acceptable, but when they happen on a campus, they are even more debilitating," said Chief William McCabe of Emerson College. "These cards are important because they address how to talk to or respond to victims. Hate crimes are painful for the victims … and knowing how to talk to people after a hate crime or incident occurs is extremely helpful."
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