You are reading

Queens District Attorney Launches Hate Crimes Bureau

Photo: Stock Unsplash

June 15, 2020 By Allie Griffin

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has launched a new bureau dedicated to combating hate crimes.

The announcement comes amid a national discussion on systemic racism following the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, as well as a recent uptick in biased attacks against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic.

The new Hate Crimes Bureau is the first in the nation committed exclusively to preventing, investigating and prosecuting hate crimes, Katz said.

The goal of the new bureau is to educate people in order to combat racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia and other hate-inspired bias crimes, according to Katz’ office.

“We are the ‘World’s Borough’ with the most diverse population of any county in the nation,” Katz said in a statement. “Hate-mongers and those who hurt others based on their own prejudices have no place in Queens.”

The specialized bureau will work closely with the District Attorney’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force.

“This Bureau takes a multifaceted approach to stopping hate crimes by working collaboratively with others to combat bias, as well as developing meaningful programs to bring about positive change,” Katz said.

Katz has appointed Assistant District Attorney Michael E. Brovner as the Chief of the Hate Crimes Bureau. Brovner, a 23-year veteran of the DA Office, previously served as Deputy Bureau Chief in the former Gang Violence and Hate Crimes Bureau.

Brovner has prosecuted hate crimes for more than 20 years and has lectured and trained others on hate crimes prosecution throughout New York State.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Armed robber hits 7-Eleven stores in three Queens neighborhoods in just over an hour Wednesday morning: NYPD

Police from two Queens NYPD precincts are looking for an armed robber who targeted 7-Eleven stores in three different neighborhoods in just over an hour during the early morning of Wednesday, Apr. 17.

Police from the 106th Precinct in Ozone Park reported that the first heist went down just before 2:25 a.m. at the 7-Eleven located at 112-11 Liberty Ave. in South Richmond Hill. The perpetrator allegedly pulled out a handgun and demanded money from the 23-year-old man behind the counter, who complied, handing over $400 in cash from the register, police said.

Jamaica Estates man beaten, robbed by bat-wielding thugs near Cunningham Park: NYPD

A 22-year-old Jamaica Estates man was beaten and robbed in broad daylight three blocks west of Cunningham Park on Saturday, and police from the 107th Precinct in Fresh Meadows are looking for the suspects who attacked him with a baseball bat.

The incident occurred just after 7 p.m., as the victim was walking home in the vicinity of 189th Street and Aberdeen Avenue when he was set upon by the two assailants who struck him in the face and head with the baseball bat, police said. They forcibly removed his cell phone and fled in a black Pontiac Grand Am, heading northbound on 109th Street toward Union Turnpike.

Dozens of restaurant and small business owners urge Sen. Ramos to support the $8B Metropolitan Park proposal at Citi Field

Around fifty restaurant and small business owners from Corona, Jackson Heights, and East Elmhurst signed a letter asking state Senator Jessica Ramos to support the $8 billion Metropolitan Park proposal from New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International to build a casino and entertainment complex on the parking lot adjacent to Citi Field.

Jessica Rico, the owner of Mojitos Restaurant & Bar in Jackson Heights, hand-delivered the letter to a Ramos staffer while the Senator was in Albany on April 19.

Spring refresh: 10 unique home stores to check out in Western Queens

Apr. 18, 2024 By Amanda Salazar

Spring isn’t just a time for cleaning — it’s also a time of fresh starts and renewal. If you’ve been considering redesigning your home, now is the perfect time to renew your space. Whether it’s as big as a complete overhaul of your home’s interior design or as small as getting a new lamp, there’s a small business in western Queens that can help you breathe new life into your space. Here are 10 local home décor and furniture stores to check out this spring.