Hate or bias crimes are those in which either the crime is committed or the victim is chosen because of a perpetrator’s belief or perception regarding a person’s race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender identity or expression, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation.
Bias incidents such as hateful language or messages may be lawful in accordance with the First Amendment right to freedom of speech, but they also cause fear and intimidation among members of the targeted groups.

The WCDAO works to combat hate crimes and bias incidents in Westchester by:

• Providing support to local police departments on hate crime and bias incident investigations and trends.
• Training police officers on hate crime law and their response to hate-related offenses.
• Working with local leaders to address underlying hate and bias issues within communities.

If you believe you were the victim of or a witness to a hate crime, call your local police department. If you have any questions, need additional information, or would like to report a hate crime or bias incident to our office, you can contact us via our tips line at (914) 995-TIPS (914-995-8477) and press 2 for Hate and Bias Crimes, or you can fill out our online complaint form.