Report shows Arizona saw an uptick in hate crimes after previous decline

PHOENIX –The number of hate crimes reported in Arizona grew last year, and the vast majority were motivated by bias toward race and ethnicity, according to the latest FBI data.

The FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics report released Monday shows a total of 217 hate crimes were reported statewide last year. That’s up from 173 the previous year but much lower than the 288 reported three years ago.

“One hate crime is one too many,” said Carlos Galindo Elvira, director of community engagement and partnership for Chicanos Por La Causa.

“An important thing to note is that these are reported cases and incidents,” he added. “So there could be far more incidents and cases happening that are just not being reported to law enforcement.”

Of the hate crimes Arizona law enforcement agencies reported to the FBI last year, 143 were motivated by bias based on a person’s race, ethnicity or ancestry.

Another 36 were religion-based hate crimes, and 30 were based on sexual orientation. The rest were hate crimes related to a person’s disability, gender or gender identity.

Phoenix had the largest number of hate crimes reported last year, with a total of 159; however, it is expected given it’s the state’s largest city.

Phoenix Police Sgt. Mercedes Fortune said the Phoenix Police Department has been working to make members of the community more comfortable in reporting crimes that are motivated by bias based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.

“Bias-related crimes affect not only the security of our community members but more importantly the trust within that community,” Fortune said in a statement to KTAR News 92.3 FM.

Data for the last 10 years shows there hasn’t been a consistent trend of hate crimes reported in Arizona. The numbers have gone up and down over the last decade, with the largest number reported in 2017.

Galindo Elvira said he suspects there are more hate crimes that are occurring than what local law enforcement agencies are picking up on and it could be an issue with training.

“One agency might report an assault but might not pick up on the fact that it was biased-motivated,” he said.

He said more training would help, as well as requiring all law enforcement agencies to report to the FBI when a hate crime occurs. Right now it’s voluntary.

“The better idea that we have of crimes that have been committed that are biased-motivated, the better our community can be and the better we can all respond to it,” Galindo Elvira said.

“And for individuals who believe that reporting doesn’t make a difference, it really does.”

Follow @GriseldaZetino