Hate Crimes Ordinance Introduced in S.D.

A San Diego city councilman introduced an ordinance Monday that would require the Police Department to track and record data on hate crimes and ensure communication about such crimes between city administrators and political leaders.

Councilman Tom Behr said the Hate Crimes Training and Tracking Ordinance is necessary because of the city’s size and ethnic diversity.

“It is not necessary for the city to duplicate the arsenal of state and federal hate crime laws,” Behr said. “What is necessary is for the citizens of San Diego to know that this council feels very strongly about hate crimes and prosecuting those criminals to the fullest extent of the law.”