Hate crimes underreported: experts
Hate-motivated crimes are “prevalent” and grossly underreported, according to experts behind a committee struck to examine hate crime enforcement and prevention in the province.
At an event held Tuesday to mark Hate Crime Awareness Day in Alberta, members of the Alberta Hate Crimes Committee met with Calgary police Chief Rick Hanson and the commissioner for the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal, David Blair Mason, to discuss strategies to address hate issues.
The event comes a week after charges were laid against a Calgary man with ties to neo-nazi group Blood and Honour.
Kyle Mckee, 26, was charged last week in connection with an assault outside an Edmonton liquor store in March. The victims were two east Indian males and police believe the attack was racially motivated.
Committee members, including former Calgary police member Doug Jones, applauded the charges, but believe more should be done.
“There’s a complete lack of response in some areas, and an inconsistent response across our province depending on where you live,” Jones said. “Depending on where you live in Alberta, you can go to police and get completely different responses and answers when you feel victimized or targeted when it comes to hate.”
The committee has also raised the alarm over what they call a lack of intelligence sharing when it comes to hate groups and insufficient training of police officers.
There were 61 hate crimes reported in Calgary in 2010. The majority are assaults or property damage.
It’s estimated that 10 per cent of hate crimes are reported, the Alberta Hate Crimes Committee says.
“There’s so many people who wonder if they reported a crime that was hate-motivated, if they will be taken seriously, and I think it’s important to remind people that it will be taken seriously. Not only the police, but the prosecutors and the courts all look at this as something very serious,” Hanson said.