Eugene Police report: 37 hate crimes in latest year; several bias incidents and arrests detailed

The Eugene Police Department and the city’s equity staff updated the Human Rights Commission on a series of bias incidents and the department’s year-to-date statistics, including 37 reported hate crimes in the most recent annualized report.

Lieutenant Williams summarized recent incidents, describing multiple investigations that led to arrests: a December 17 arrest for second-degree bias crime after a caregiver said a man used a racial slur and grabbed his wife; a series of targeted burglaries suspected to be bias-motivated in which police reported 13 Asian homes affected in Eugene and additional incidents in Springfield; an assault on Dec. 24 in downtown Eugene allegedly involving a padlock used as a weapon and a bias-based motive; a Dec. 27 incident where a juvenile made a false claim about a bomb on a bus, which led to a disorderly conduct citation; and a string of airsoft-pellet incidents near Network Charter School that are under special investigations review.

City staff clarified that the police special investigations unit and Outreach/Equity teams follow up on bias-designated cases and that noncriminal “bias incidents” are also tracked through the state reporting hotline, which the office now redirects people to for most noncriminal reports. The city’s internal reporting captures additional incidents, such as hate speech found in library spaces.

Office staff said the state hotline’s data can look different from local tallies because the state counts reports (which can be many for a single incident) rather than unique investigations. Staff said large-quantity reporting spikes in 2023 were tied to an antisemitic fliering campaign and a single week that produced more than 160 reports; 2024 trending was lower but staff cautioned statistics can change as investigations continue.

The commission also discussed outreach and victim support: police offer a contact card to victims of hate crimes and the city’s Office of Equity and Community Engagement provides follow-up support when victims request it. Staff said the number of victims who follow up for ongoing support is small and that language and access barriers mean the office remains an important direct resource for Spanish-speaking residents.

Commissioners asked whether staff attacked via the state hotline are recorded as hate incidents; city staff said their internal system includes such attacks and that they are working with state partners to align reporting. Commissioners also asked about the number of unreported incidents; staff cited national victimization surveys and estimated that 60–70% of bias incidents are not reported to authorities.

Ending

The commission asked staff to return in February with final statistics and further detail; members said they will continue to liaise with the police commission and community groups about targeted burglaries and other bias-motivated incidents.