CRIME
Anti-LGBTQ Hate Crimes Increased in NYC Last Year
Bias incidents targeting queer folks ranked second behind anti-Semitic attacks
BY MATT TRACY
The NYPD tallied 54 reported
hate crimes last
year targeting individuals
on the basis of sexual
orientation and gender identity,
marking a 20 percent increase
from 2018.
Anti-LGBTQ bias incidents represented
the second-largest share
of hate crimes in the city in 2019,
trailing only the growing epidemic
of anti-Semitic crimes that continued
to spike last year and represented
the majority of bias incidents.
There were 234 hate crime
reports, or 55 percent of the overall
total, targeting the city’s Jewish
community. Forty-seven more anti
Semitic crimes were reported in
2019 than the previous year.
The 54 reports of hate crimes
targeting LGBTQ folks made up
13 percent of hate crimes in 2019.
In one of 54 reported hate crimes targeting LGBTQ people in New York City last year, Rainbow Flags
were set on fi re at Alibi Lounge, a gay bar in Harlem.
There were also 37 hate crimes
targeting Black people, representing
TWITTER/ @LOUNGE_ALIBI
nine percent of reported
bias incidents, though there were
seven fewer reports of anti-Black
hate crimes in 2019 compared to
2018. Hate crimes targeting Muslims
also dipped from 18 reports in
2018 to 14 last year.
Thirteen gender-related hate
crimes were logged last year, but
that should not be confused with
hate crimes targeting people on the
basis of gender identity because
the NYPD classifies all crimes motivated
by a person’s sexual orientation
or gender identity under the
“sexual orientation” category.
“We will never tolerate hate in our
city in any form,” NYPD spokesperson
Jessica McRorie said in a written
statement. “The NYPD has the
largest Hate Crime Task Force in
the country comprised of the best
hate crime investigators that work
tirelessly with our patrol officers,
detective squads, and community
➤ HATE CRIMESp.15
NYPD Adding Hate Crimes to CompStat Reporting
Police close loophole to pinpoint bias incidents; lawmakers bicker over credit on Twitter
BY MATT TRACY
The NYPD has agreed
to finally incorporate
hate crimes data into
the city’s CompStat
management system after City
Councilmembers Mark Treyger of
Brooklyn and Donovan Richards of
Queens led lawmakers in prodding
the department to begin streamlining
the process of pinpointing
bias incidents in the city.
CompStat, which has for years
been used to locate, address, and
report crime incidents to the public
on a weekly basis, notably did
not track hate crimes — a glaring
gap that has been exposed during
a time when horrifying anti-
Semitic attacks have gripped the
city and three dozen anti-LGBTQ
hate crime arrests were tallied
through the first three quarters of
last year.
Police Commissioner Dermot
Shea said during a press conference
on January 6 that the idea
of incorporating hate crimes into
CompStat crossed his mind when
he was still chief of detectives.
“I think it’s the perfect time,”
said Shea, who took over as the
city’s top cop last month. “The
more light you shine on this, the
better... Anything to bring this to
the forefront of what’s going on, to
get people talking about it internally
as well as externally.”
Shea said it would take several
months to incorporate hate
crimes into CompStat because the
department first must work out
technological changes and sort out
exactly which crimes would be included.
“Hate crimes is going to mean a
lot of different things to different
people,” he said. “Is it swastikas?
Is it misdemeanors? Is it felonies?
Is it that somebody received a letter
in the mail or somebody got attacked
on the street?”
Treyger, who sent letters in October
and December — first to previous
NYPD Commissioner James
O’Neil, then to Shea — welcomed
the department’s decision to add
hate crimes to CompStat.
“Tragically, since both of these
letters have been sent, there have
been more horrific hate crimes
committed throughout the city
and the metro area,” Treyger said.
“All New Yorkers should feel safe,
and we must all work together to
make sure no one is afraid in our
city. Adding hate crimes to Comp-
Stat is one more tool to help combat
rising hate.”
A testy exchanged emerged
on Twitter, however, after Chaim
Deutsch, a Brooklyn councilmember
with a homophobic record voting
against LGBTQ rights at every
turn, appeared to claim victory regarding
the NYPD’s move and said
he drafted legislation incorporating
hate crimes into CompStat.
But when Treyger asked him on
Twitter for the bill number of that
legislation, Deutsch snipped back,
saying, “LS 12182, as you already
know.”
Treyger responded to Deutsch
that no such bill existed on the
City Council’s legislative database,
and that prompted the Brooklyn
bigot to go off on his colleague.
“I suggest you speak with your
legislative staff, who can explain
how the City Council legislative
process works,” said Deutsch, who
has voted against banning conversion
therapy, rejected transgender
rights legislation, and opposed a
measure requiring the Department
of Education to report on
➤ COMPSTAT, continued on p.15
January 16 - January 2 14 9, 2020 | GayCityNews.com
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