Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey unveiled on Monday actions to combat hate crimes in the Commonwealth.
"With hate crimes on the rise across the country and here in Massachusetts, it is essential that we bring people together to advance proactive solutions and support our communities," said Healey.
That is why, Healey said, the Massachusetts State Police created the Hate Crimes Awareness and Response Team, or HART, with the intention to "strengthen" the response to hate crimes and hate-based incidents statewide.
The HART team consist of four to five sworn state police members who serve as a primary point of contact for local police, community and religious groups in a specific geographic area, the governor said.
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In addition to HART, almost $462,000 in Hate Crime Prevention grants are going to schools to reduce incidents of bias, said Healey.
"Here in Massachusetts, we stand firmly against hate — and we are backing up that commitment with resources and investments," said Healey.
According to the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security's 2022 Hate Crime report for Massachusetts, 440 hate crime incidents were reported in 2022. That number is the highest reported since 2002, according to the report.
In 2022, prejudice against race and ethnicity or national origin was the most widely reported bias motivation, noted the report.
As the U.S. continues to struggle with a "concerning increase in unlawful acts of hate," Massachusetts State Police interim Col. John Mawn Jr. said his agency is committed to "confronting bias and intolerance" with tough strategies, including by strengthening law enforcement partnerships and enhancing community engagement.
