On Tuesday, King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn’s proposed Stop Hate Crime Hotline cleared a significant hurdle, unanimously passing the Council’s Law and Justice Committee.
“While crimes motivated by hate and bias have surged to record-setting levels across King County, they are still known to be underreported,” said Dunn. “A dedicated hotline would increase access to justice for all communities by providing a direct avenue for reporting incidents of hate crimes.”
Dunn’s motion asks King County to create a workgroup to build and launch a non-police hotline and reporting system that would allow King County residents the ability to report these incidents.
This workgroup would be comprised of participants from the Department of Community and Human Services, Public Health – Seattle and King County, the Prosecutor’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office, and representatives from community-based organizations that represent populations that have been affected by hate crimes.
The proposed Stop Hate Crime Hotline received $150,000 in funding in the first omnibus supplemental budget passed by the County Council in late June. Now that it has passed committee it will be sent to the full King County Council for a final vote.
