DA creates bureau for hate crimes

The Brooklyn district attorney’s office is launching a new Hate Crimes Bureau to tackle the jump in bias-motivated attacks the city has seen over the past two years.

“The creation of a dedicated bureau with more resources and experienced prosecutors will help my office to offer the most adequate response to the growing problem,” Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez said Tuesday.

The bureau will replace the office’s hate crimes unit, which previously fell under the umbrella of the Civil Rights Bureau.

Under the new configuration, the Hate Crimes Bureau will employ six prosecutors, and the Civil Rights Bureau will continue to have eight, a DA’s office spokesman said.

Assistant District Attorneys Kelli Muse and Ari Farkas will lead the new bureau as its chief and deputy chief, respectively.

Citywide, police have reported more than 300 hate crimes this year. Over the past two years, the Brooklyn DA’s office has handled more than 70 cases.