Illinois is seeking to more aggressively combat hate crimes by prioritizing training of law enforcement on how to better identify, investigate and prosecute these types of crimes.
Though the General Assembly has been proactive about passing laws targeting hate crimes, law enforcement officials must have an awareness and understanding of these laws in order to identify and pursue perpetrators of hate crimes.
The Illinois State Police (ISP) will be working with the Anti-Defamation League to create a new curriculum for ISP cadets, which will enable the state’s law enforcement to better recognize and investigate hate crimes so they can bring criminals to justice.
The focus and purpose of this training will strengthen the knowledge and skills of officers by providing up-to-date information and strategies for identifying, investigating, and prosecuting hate crimes. It will also provide officers with ideas on how to work more effectively to change community norms that foster tolerance of and indifference toward hate crimes.