Massachusetts Launches Statewide Hate Crimes Task Force

New unit formed in response to highest number of reported hate crimes since 2002, with additional funding provided to schools for hate crime prevention.

• Massachusetts has launched a new state police unit, the Hate Crimes Awareness and Response Team, to deter hate crimes and support victims.
• The formation of the unit comes as reports of hate crimes in the state are on the rise, with 440 incidents reported in 2022, the highest since 2002.
• The unit will bolster statewide data collection and information-sharing to identify patterns and trends in hate crimes.
• It will also develop training protocols to help police agencies better investigate hate crimes and streamline coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
• Nearly $500,000 in Hate Crime Prevention grants have been awarded to 10 school districts in Massachusetts that have experienced hate issues.

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