Washington’s new bias incident hotline will launch in three counties
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Washington’s new hotline for hate crimes and bias incidents will launch as a pilot program in Clark, King and Spokane counties.
On Wednesday, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced his office will lead the effort that was approved by lawmakers earlier in March. Senate Bill 5427 called for officials to begin establishing the program by Jan. 1, 2025.
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In Washington, hate crimes are defined as assaults or threats that lead to property damage or injury due to someone’s race, religion, skin color, nationality, sexuality, disability, gender expression or identity. The Attorney General’s Office said bias incidents are also acts of prejudice, but aren’t “criminal in nature” and don’t lead to assaults, threats or property damage.
The hotline will allow Washingtonians to report incidents over the phone and receive trauma-informed information or referrals to local service providers. In some cases, when the incident is suspected as a crime, operators will tip off law enforcement officers.
The pilot program will begin in three Washington counties by July 1, 2025. In a statement, Clark County Sheriff John Horch he is “pleased” about the new development as the county becomes more demographically diverse.
It will be available for residents statewide starting in 2027.
Ferguson’s office plans to release an annual report involving the crimes and incidents reported to the hotline.
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“The ripples of harm from hate crimes and bias incidents extend beyond the victims who are directly impacted — and they must not be tolerated,” Ferguson said in a statement. “This pilot will set the foundation for a first-of-its-kind centralized, statewide resource for Washingtonians to report hate crimes and bias incidents… We must all work together to combat hate and stand up for individuals and communities who are harmed.”
Oregon launched a similar hotline in 2020. According to the state Department of Justice, the hotline had experienced a 178% increase in reports by 2023.
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