NAUPD

Hate Crimes & Bias Based Incidents

The NAU Police Department understands the destructive nature of hate crimes and bias based incidents. A hate crime can cause broad ripples of discomfort and anxiety among members of a targeted group, followed by feelings of terror and resentment across an entire community. We know that each hate crime victimizes not one person but many. If you feel that you are the victim of a hate crime, we encourage you to report the incident promptly to the NAU Police Department, dial 911 (emergency line) or 928-523-3611 (non-emergency). It will be investigated promptly and thoroughly.

Hate Crime (Bias Crime) –A committed criminal offense that is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias(es) against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity; also known as Hate Crime.

Arizona law provides for the possibility of enhanced penalties for hate crimes. Arizona Revised Statute 13-701 says, in part, that for the purpose of sentencing the court shall consider a number of aggravating circumstances. One of the identified aggravating circumstances is “evidence that the defendant committed the crime out of malice toward a victim because of the victim’s identity in a group listed in section 41-1750, subsection A, paragraph 3 or because of the defendant’s perception of the victim’s identity in a group listed in section 41-1750, subsection A, paragraph 3.” Arizona Revised Statute 41-1750 identifies these groups as “race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability.” In addition, Arizona Revised Statute 13-1604, Aggravated Criminal Damage, states that a person commits aggravated criminal damage by “defacing, damaging or in any way changing the appearance of any building, structure, personal property or place used for worship or any religious purpose.” Depending on the dollar amount of the damage this offense can be considered a class 6, class 5, or class 4 felony.