Hate Crime

If this an Emergency or crime in progress, please call 9-1-1.


The Tustin Police Department recognizes that hate crimes that occur within our jurisdiction require prompt investigation and special sensitivity to the trauma experienced by victims. 

The Tustin Police Department has established a Hate Crime Hotline to report hate-related incidents at (714) 573-3299. If this is an emergency or crime in progress, please call 9-1-1.  

2018 Officer Barret in Police Unit

WHAT IS A HATE CRIME?


California’s hate crime laws are codified in Penal Code Sections 422.55, 422.6, 422.7, and 422.75.

California Penal Code 422.55 defines a hate crime as a criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of one or more of the following actual or perceived characteristics of the victim. This includes:

• Disability

• Gender

• Nationality

• Race or ethnicity

• Religion

• Sexual orientation

• Association with a person or group of persons with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics

Criminal acts include, but are not limited to:

• Vandalism

• Physical violence against another

• Criminal threats

• Theft

WHAT IS A HATE INCIDENT?


Hate incidents are defined by the California Department of Justice as “an action or behavior motivated by hate but legally protected by the First Amendment right to freedom of expression. If a hate incident starts to threaten a person or property, it may become a hate crime.”

Examples of hate incidents include, but are not limited to:

• Name-calling, including racial slurs or other derogatory terminology

• Insults

• Offensive jokes

• Distributing hate material in public places

• Displaying hate material on private property



WHAT CAN I EXPECT WHEN REPORTING A HATE CRIME?


When you are making a report directly to the Tustin Police Department, an officer will document the incident and conduct an initial investigation. Your completed report will then be forwarded to the Criminal Investigations Unit where a Detective will investigate the incident to the fullest extent.

If the facts you are reporting meet the legal definition of a hate crime, a criminal investigation will commence. This may ultimately lead to the arrest of the involved suspect(s) and subsequent prosecution by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

The report will also be forwarded to the Orange County Human Relations.  

WHAT CAN I EXPECT WHEN REPORTING A HATE INCIDENT?


When you are making a report directly to the Tustin Police Department, an officer will document the incident and conduct an initial investigation. Your completed report will then be forwarded to the Criminal Investigations Unit where a Detective will investigate the incident to the fullest extent.

If the event does not meet the legal definition of a hate crime, a police report will still be taken to document the circumstances surrounding the hate incident.

Can I Remain Anonymous?

Generally, when a police report is filed, it becomes public record. However, victims of hate crimes falling under Penal Codes 422.6, 422.7, and 422.75 may request that their name and personal information remain confidential. When you contact Tustin Police Department to file a report, you will have the opportunity to discuss this option in more detail with the responding officer.

What resources are available for victims of Hate Crimes and Hate incidents in Orange County?


Orange County Human Relations maintains a comprehensive list of all available resources. Find more information about Hate Crime Resources through Orange County Human Relations.