That's the good news. The bad news is that residents of our City are still victimized because of such characteristics as race, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation. Anthony Scalise, Commanding Officer of the Civil Rights Unit. Ugly symbols painted on walls of a building or garage point to an ugly reality. The Civil Rights Unit is responsible for investigating hate crimes and compiling hate crime data.
Most hate crimes involve property damage, graffiti, and random acts of violence.
The Civil Rights Unit also works closely with Chicago's Commission on Human Relations. When hate crimes occur, police notify the Commission within 24 hours. The Commission encourages all victims to follow through with prosecution. Education and communication are key elements in the fight against hate crimes. The Civil Rights Unit holds seminars for both community groups and police personnel to keep everyone updated on hate crime trends, and to keep everyone working together.