The Pennsylvania State Police recently disseminated a letter to local, state and federal stakeholders to affirm the department’s continued support of the Asian American communities throughout the commonwealth. Across the country, law enforcement has seen an increasing number of incidents targeting members of this community due to misinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Asian American community and other minority groups should know that the state police take every allegation of hate/bias crime seriously, and each complaint receives a full investigation,” said Col. Robert Evanchick, commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “We will not tolerate hate or bias of any kind in Pennsylvania.”
The PSP Heritage Affairs Section is a unit dedicated to the prevention and investigation of hate/bias crimes and incidents. The unit works closely with community organizations, lawmakers, and municipal, state and federal law enforcement agencies to mitigate issues between law enforcement and historically underserved communities.
Members of the Heritage Affairs Section routinely meet with stakeholders on a proactive basis to address their concerns and maintain open lines of communication between their communities and law enforcement.
To date, the PSP has not investigated any hate/bias crimes related to COVID-19 targeting Asian American communities in Pennsylvania. If you feel you, or someone you know is a victim of a hate/bias crime or incident, contact your local law enforcement agency.
“Victims may be reluctant to come forward for cultural reasons, or because they don’t feel the crime against them rises to the level of law enforcement involvement. We want the community to know that any crime motivated by hate or bias is unacceptable,” said Evanchick. “The Heritage Affairs Section, and our department, supports affected communities during these unprecedented times.”
Visit psp.pa.gov for more information.
