ARLINGTON (WBAP/KLIF News) – The Arlington Police Department has unveiled its new plan to handle hate-related incidents.
Chief Will Johnson said Thursday that citizens can now report anything hate related, so police and the public will have a record of it.
“Under this policy, we would at least know that it happened. We would not lose the institutional knowledge that it happened over time and we could help reconcile if we had other hate crimes or hate incidents in proximity to that,” he said.
Also included in the new policy is more hate crime training for officers and adding a section to forms so citizens can report any problems.
Johnson said the community needs to realize that there are consequences to certain actions.
“Even though it might be morally reprehensible speech…they have a right to free speech. But free speech is not an absolute right and we want to make sure that in exercising of your rights…whatever rights those may be… they don’t compromise or erode someone else’s rights,” he said.
Last month, someone spray prainted racist graffiti on a business on Arkansas Lane.
The search for that suspect continues.
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