FBI Memphis, US Attorney’s Office encourages reporting hate crimes in west TN – FOX13 News Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The FBI Memphis and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Western Tennessee are encouraging the public to report hate crimes, the two announced on Wednesday.

“Investigating hate crimes is a top priority in the FBI’s civil rights program because of the devastating effects it has on families and communities,” said Douglas M. Korneski, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Memphis Field Office.

“The FBI is committed to protecting the civil rights of all people, and we will aggressively prosecute those who commit crimes based on bias.”

The US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee also encourages reporting.

“Violations of criminal civil rights are a top priority for the Department of Justice and those who commit these crimes will be fully prosecuted,” said Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., acting US attorney.

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Definition of a hate crime

The FBI defines hate crimes as “an offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias towards a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity”.

How to sign up

Anyone who has been a victim of a hate crime or has witnessed a hate crime is encouraged to report this information to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Information can be reported anonymously.

Help us fight hate together in our communities. To learn more about hate crimes, visit https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/civil-rights/hate-crimes and https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.

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