Task force to tackle growing problem of hate crime in the greater Fresno area
As the number of reported hate crimes in the central San Joaquín Valley grows, local, state and federal officials, along with community members, have formed a task force to raise awareness about the issue, build trust and encourage reporting of hate incidents.
The Greater Fresno Hate Crime Task Force was assembled in 2021 and brings together representatives from several law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s and the Fresno County District Attorney.
The task force also includes members from the region’s diverse communities.
U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert convened the first meeting of the task force in April 2021.
“Acts of hate and racism have no place in our community and will not be tolerated,” Talbert said. “We want to ensure that all those who call this region their home feel safe regardless of their race, ethnic origin, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
“The Greater Fresno Hate Crimes Task Force seeks to directly connect federal, state, and local law enforcement with diverse communities to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents.”
A hate crime is one that targets a person for his or her gender, race/ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, nationality or association with a person or group with one of these characteristics. A hate crime event meets the criteria for a hate crime and has been documented by law enforcement.
Patterned after a similar task force in Sacramento, the Greater Fresno task force meets twice a year with its most recent meeting being a virtual event in February.
An estimated 70 people took part in the meeting that included presentations on how to identify youth hate crimes and hate-based bullying.
Task force members were also updated on any current hate crimes and talked with law enforcement representatives about problems they have encountered.
Robert Veneman-Hughes, a senior deputy district attorney with the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office and a member of the task force, said the organization is a useful tool for building trust and communication with Fresno’s communities.
“We want to maintain those open lines of communication, especially in those communities that are really effected by crime,” Veneman-Hughes said. “We want to make sure people feel like we are listening to them and pursuing cases that matter to them.”
Veneman-Hughes said prosecutors are working on several active hate crime cases.
Recent hate crime statistics show Fresno County and neighboring counties in central California have seen a steady rise in reported hate crime from 2015 to 2022.
For example, in 2015 there were 14 race-related hate crimes reported, six cases related to gender identity/sexual orientation and four were religion based. In 2022 those numbers jumped to 37 race-related incidences, 13 gender/sexual orientation incidences and six were based on religion.
Vida en el Valle has teamed with The Fresno Bee and the Central Valley News Collaborative to follow up with stories on communities that have encountered hate crimes or hate incidents. Those stories will be published online in English and Spanish, and in print in either language.
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