WLOS reports that when Luke Hankins was assaulted last week, his attackers targeted him because they thought he was gay, despite the fact that he is straight. Then, when the Asheville Police Department (APD) was called, the responding officer did not file a report of the incident or initiate an investigation. This tragic assault highlights the need for LGBT-sensitive policing to promote the reporting of hate crimes (many go unreported in the Asheville area) and to ensure that responding officers are attuned to the specific issues that arise in hate crimes.
The APD and local elected officials have an opportunity right now to implement specific policies to improve their capacity to protect the LGBT community and respond appropriately when hate crimes occur. But they need to act quickly and decisively or the moment will pass. Washington, D.C. offers one model to consider for LGBT-sensitive policing. Through their Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit, officers receive special training in working with the LGBT community, they take proactive measures to prevent hate crimes, and they work in active partnership with local LGBT groups to promote safety awareness and the reporting of incidents.
The problem is larger than this, though. Currently our State Legislators are considering an anti-gay amendment to our Constitution – the type of measure that promotes the fear and prejudice that fuel hate crimes. Supporters of the amendment are quick to say there’s nothing anti-gay about it. But they are wrong: the proposed amendment is rooted in precisely the same anti-gay bias that a hate crime is.
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