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UT Police Department to Co-Host Training on Hate Crimes October 3

The UT Police Department will co-host a training on hate crimes for local, state and federal law enforcement officers, investigators, and prosecutors on Thursday, October 3.

The daylong conference will include topics such as the impact of hate crimes on communities, the reporting of and data related to hate crimes, and the enforcement of hate crime laws. It will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at UTPD, 1101 Cumberland Avenue. Online registration is now open and space is limited.

Cynthia M. Deitle, a retired supervisory special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, will lead the course. She is director of programs and operations for the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

The number of reported hate crimes has been increasing over the past five years, according to the FBI. In 2017, more than 130 hate crimes were reported in Tennessee. Yet according to the National Crime Victimization survey more than 60 percent of hate-related incidents are not reported to a law enforcement agency.

The conference will address the importance of effective investigation and prosecution of hate crimes, the development of strong ties between law enforcement and vulnerable communities, key investigative steps necessary to obtain evidence, and the collaboration between investigators and prosecutors that is critical to the early stages of the investigation.

UTPD is partnering with the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators to offer the training. Other sponsors include the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Divided Community Project, and the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

For more information about the conference, visit the Matthew Shepard Foundation website.

CONTACT:

Lola Alapo (865-974-1094, lalapo@utk.edu)