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The announcement came on Tuesday, Oct. 31.
Hochul, utilizing all available state resources, declared a multi-branched plan aimed at limiting the number of hate and bias crimes, which she says have risen since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas.
“Let me be clear: we cannot allow hate and intimidation to become normalized,” she said in a statement.
“My top priority is to protect the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers.”
As part of the $50 million available for law enforcement, agencies must use the grants to improve technology and equipment so as to more effectively solve and prevent hate crimes.
These grants, Hochul said, can be used on things like license plate readers, surveillance systems, and gunshot detection devices.
Hochul also announced that an additional $25 million will be given to the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes (SCAHC) grants, which will be used towards strengthening security measures at cultural museums, daycare centers, or nonprofit organizations that “may be vulnerable because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission.”
The SCAHC funds can be used for security measures such as shatter-resistant glass, alarms, and strengthening cybersecurity.
An additional $700,000 will be used to bolster the New York State Police’s system monitoring public social media posts for signs of violence and criminal activity, such as school violence threats.
“As Governor, I reaffirm that there is zero tolerance in New York for antisemitism, Islamophobia, or hate of any kind,” Hochul said, “and it’s critical we deploy every possible state resource to keep New Yorkers safe.”
Other items include in-person community circles, hosted by the Division of Human Rights Hate and Bias Prevention Unit to discuss how the conflict in the Middle East is affecting New Yorkers, a third-party review of antidiscrimination policies at all City University of New York campuses, and the launching of a new statewide hotline to report bias incidents.
For more information on where the state resources will go, click here.
To report New York bias or hate crimes online, click here. New Yorkers may also report by calling 844-NO-2-HATE.
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