RSSHate Crimes in the District of Columbia and Police Response to Reports of Hate Crimes
Counciolmember Phil Mendelson, Chairperson of the Committee on the Judiciary, announces a public oversight hearing on Hate Crimes in the District of Columbia and Police Response to Reports of Hate Crimes. The hearing will be held at 12:00PM on Friday, June 29, 2012 in the Council Chamber of the John A. Wilson Building.
The purpose of this hearing is to hear testimony from government and public witnesses about hate crimes in the District, including trends, police response, and prosecution. Police response and reporting of hate crimes has been an ongoing oversight issue for the Committee; the most recent hearings on the issue were held on July 6, 2011 and November 2, 2011. Crimes tha tappear to be committed on the basis of bias or prejudice of the victim continue to occur in the District. The Committee s eeks testimony regarding the overall strategy and approach to investigating and responding to hate crimes, including ongoing interatction with the community.
Those who wish to testify should register online or contact Ms. Jessica Jacobs, Legislative Counsel, at (202) 724-7808, by fax at (202) 724-6664, or via e-mail at jjacobs@dccouncil.us, and provide their name, address, telephone number, organizational affiliation and title (if any) by close of business Wednesday, June 27, 2012. Persons wishing to testify are encouraged, but not required, to submit 15 copies of written testimony. If submitted by the close of business on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, the testimony will be distributed to Councilmembers before the hearing. Witnesses should limit their testimony to five minutes; less time will be allowed if there is a large number of witnesses.
If you are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted either to Ms. Setlow, or to Ms. Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council, Room 5 of the Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20004. The record will close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 13, 2012.