Gov. Bruce Rauner has announced that the Anti-Defamation League will develop a program with the Illinois State Police to train police officers in identifying and investigating hate crimes. Rauner says the plan is the fourth part of a program he laid out two weeks ago to battle crimes against people due to of race, religion or national origin.
Jessica Gall is associate regional director of the Anti-Defamation League. She says hate crimes have a devastating impact on communities. Helping emergency officials understand and respond to them will strengthen police ties in the community.
The Illinois Department of Human Rights will also work on the effort. Acting Director Janice Glenn says discrimination complaints that staff determine are hate crimes will be referred to police.
