California to create racial justice bureau as reports of hate crimes climb

SACRAMENTO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the launch of a new racial justice bureau among other initiatives to tackle hate crimes statewide in a press conference Tuesday morning.

The new California Department of Justice bureau plans to bring in six new attorneys as well as a supervising deputy attorney general. The bureau will assist community organizations fighting hate and work with law enforcement to identify best practices for investigating hate crimes.

“Taking on hate crimes will always be one of my top priorities as the people’s attorney,” Bonta said. “No part of California is immune to hate.”

On a regional level, the bureau will hold a virtual meeting with the mayors of California’s major cities later this month. Bonta also suggested pushing out best practices advice for local law enforcement through state department bulletins, as well as working with community organizations to provide culturally competent, in-language support to improve hate crime reporting.

“We need to build greater trust between law enforcement and communities . ... they should feel comfortable coming forward seeking assistance,” Bonta said.

“When they do (come forward), the approach has to be victim-centered, using trauma-informed care.”

In addition to its legal duties, the bureau will be asked to focus on assisting the new state task force to develop reparations for Black Californians.

The bureau will also launch investigations into police conduct as needed, Bonta said.

Bonta, who was approved by state lawmakers in April, is the first Filipino American to hold the position. Gov. Gavin Newsom turned to Bonta after weeks of lobbying from advocates after the Atlanta mass shooting that left six dead, four of whom were of Asian descent.

When asked about concerns in the Asian American community about over-policing as a response to the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, Bonta stressed the importance of accountability for

law enforcement and expressed support for community-led protection efforts.

“I’m not hearing a lot of calls for more police,” Bonta said. “I am seeing community members … rising up and declaring we can make ourselves safer. I think those are good approaches.”

Hate crimes have been on the rise in California, where more than 1,600 Asian Americans reported incidents between March 2020 and February this year. In Sacramento, a mutilated cat was dropped in the parking lot of a Chinese-owned butcher shop.

“There’s no one thing that you can do that ends hate crimes, but there’s a lot of things that move the needle that make progress,” Bonta said.