California Civil Rights Department outlines anti‑hate programs and previews AB 449 law‑enforcement training video
December 13, 2024 | California Civil Rights Department, Agencies under Office of the Governor, Executive, California
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Deputy Director Alec Watts of the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) used the commission meeting to summarize the department’s proactive and response programs and preview a law‑enforcement training video tied to AB 449.
Watts reviewed CRD’s enforcement division (intake, investigation, conciliation), the Community Conflict Resolution Unit (CRU/CREW) that provides confidential facilitation and training for community disputes, and the California versus Hate resource line and network that connects victims to services in more than 200 languages. He also described the "Welcome In" business program that offers free trainings and recognition for participating businesses and pointed to CRD educational materials such as a fact sheet on the Ralph Civil Rights Act.
The commission played a training video developed with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) that instructs officers to take reports seriously, use a supplemental hate‑crime checklist when bias is suspected, document evidence that supports biased motivation, and connect victims to California versus Hate resources. The video includes survivor testimony about underreporting and officers who initially declined to take reports.
Commissioners welcomed the video. Commissioner Suthers reported that Los Angeles Police Department Chief McDonald had already mandated that LAPD personnel view the film, a development commissioners noted could encourage other agencies to adopt it.
During Q&A, CREW staff said cases vary widely and that broad pattern analysis is difficult, though they offered to provide descriptive case examples if the commission requested them. Commissioners urged greater public outreach to secure continued funding and philanthropic support for CRD programs and raised concerns about future federal funding shifts.
What’s next: CRD staff plan a press release and social media campaign to publicize the POST training video in early 2025 and the department said it will follow up on requests for CREW case takeaways at future meetings.
Watts reviewed CRD’s enforcement division (intake, investigation, conciliation), the Community Conflict Resolution Unit (CRU/CREW) that provides confidential facilitation and training for community disputes, and the California versus Hate resource line and network that connects victims to services in more than 200 languages. He also described the "Welcome In" business program that offers free trainings and recognition for participating businesses and pointed to CRD educational materials such as a fact sheet on the Ralph Civil Rights Act.
The commission played a training video developed with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) that instructs officers to take reports seriously, use a supplemental hate‑crime checklist when bias is suspected, document evidence that supports biased motivation, and connect victims to California versus Hate resources. The video includes survivor testimony about underreporting and officers who initially declined to take reports.
Commissioners welcomed the video. Commissioner Suthers reported that Los Angeles Police Department Chief McDonald had already mandated that LAPD personnel view the film, a development commissioners noted could encourage other agencies to adopt it.
During Q&A, CREW staff said cases vary widely and that broad pattern analysis is difficult, though they offered to provide descriptive case examples if the commission requested them. Commissioners urged greater public outreach to secure continued funding and philanthropic support for CRD programs and raised concerns about future federal funding shifts.
What’s next: CRD staff plan a press release and social media campaign to publicize the POST training video in early 2025 and the department said it will follow up on requests for CREW case takeaways at future meetings.
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