Civil rights groups came together Monday at the Chicago Urban League to call on state lawmakers to require hate crime training for law enforcement.
"Hate crimes are surging in Chicago and across the state, and our dedicated law enforcement officers are not receiving the training they need to confront this surge," said Dan Goldwin, chief public affairs officer for the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Chicago.
The Illinois Senate unanimously approved a bill earlier this year, but it's sitting in the Illinois House which is on break until early January.
"This bill does not only protect Sikhs, it safeguards all targeted by hate, including Black and brown communities, LGBTQ individuals, Muslim communities, Jewish communities and others," said Upneet Teji, Illinois volunteer leader at Sikh Coalition.
FBI statistics show hate crimes are up in Illinois and across the country with nearly 12,000 reports nationwide in 2023.
"We are talking about an average of 32.5 hate crimes every single day. This is 17 more per day than just nine years ago, and these are just the ones we know about," said David Goldenberg, Midwest regional director of the Anti-Defamation League.
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Only about 60 percent of violent hate crimes are reported to law enforcement, according to a Justice Department report.
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"A lot of hate crimes and bias incidents go unreported," said Mike Ziri, director of public policy for Equality Illinois. "And there are many reasons for this, including a lack of trust between the community and law enforcement."
That's why they're calling on the Illinois House to approve the bill.
"The underreporting of hate crimes due to barriers such as language, lack of cultural competency in law enforcement and a distrust in authorities," Shobhana Johri Verma, executive director of South Asian American Policy and Research Institute (SAAPRI).
Fourteen other states already have laws that require hate crime training for law enforcement.
"This bill will ensure that victims of hate crimes receive justice and support while fostering stronger trust between law enforcement and the diverse communities that they represent," said Patricia Mota, president and CEO for Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE).
