Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Hate Crime Reporting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cincinnati committee asks for 60-day report on hate-crime reporting, hotline and data
Summary
The Public Safety and Governance Committee requested a staff report within 60 days on public mechanisms for reporting hate crimes, the existence of a hate-crimes hotline, public availability of collected data, follow-up practices and policies for reporting such data to City Council.
The Public Safety and Governance Committee requested a staff report within 60 days on the city’s resources and procedures for reporting and tracking hate crimes, including whether a hate-crimes hotline exists and how collected data is shared with City Council.
Vice Mayor Jan Michelle Kearney, who submitted the item, told the committee: "This is really simple. We're just asking for for a report about what resources and mechanisms are ready are already in place for the public to report and address hate crimes and the existence of of of a hate crimes hotline which I understand does exist." The motion specifically asks staff to describe public reporting mechanisms, data availability, follow-up procedures and the policy for reporting hate-crime data to council, and to deliver that report within 60 days.
Committee member Anna Albee said her office has been examining similar issues and participating in a "prevention academy" focused on combating hate and extremism at the local level. "We care about the safety of our residents," Albee said, adding that the council should be vocal about its values, saying, in part, "black lives matter, trans rights are human rights, and Nazis are bad."
Committee member Mark Jeffries said the recent rise in hateful incidents makes reporting and tracking important. "...it's reported, and then b, that it's tracked," Jeffries said, adding, "sunlight ... cures a lot of things and hopefully that will reveal what, if anything, in addition that we need to do to make sure that people are protected." Chair Scotty Johnson thanked members and moved the item forward after there were no objections.
The committee did not specify which department will produce the report, what data fields must be included, or whether the report will recommend new ordinances or changes to existing policy. The motion passed by unanimous consent; no roll-call vote was recorded in the transcript.
The report is expected back to the committee within 60 days, at which point members indicated they will review the city’s existing processes, community access to those channels and next steps if gaps are identified.
