Prince William County Police Department

Hate and bias-related crimes are crimes committed against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or gender identity.

Hate crimes often fall into two categories:

• Crimes Against Persons: This includes assault, battery, or actual threats of violence or harm.
• Crimes Against Property: This includes vandalism, arson, or burning or displaying objects with an intent to intimidate.

Generally speaking, offensive speech, while inappropriate, does not constitute a hate crime, although actual threats of violence or harm are illegal and should be reported.

• Virginia Office of the Attorney General - No Hate VA Initiative

Virginia law includes stiffer criminal penalties when a crime is motivated by a bias against the victim’s race, color, religion or national origin. However, federal law also provides enhanced penalties for certain crimes that are motivated by a bias against one’s race, religion, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation. It is also a crime in Virginia to intimidate a person or group of persons by burning crosses, placing swastikas on certain buildings or displaying a noose. Hate crimes in Prince William County are investigated by PWCPD and prosecuted by the Commonwealth’s Attorney. Violations of federal law are investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice and prosecuted by United States Attorneys.

Virginia Statutes for hate crimes:

• 18.2-57 (assault & battery)
• 18.2-121 (sentence enhancement for trespass/cause damage to property)
• 18.2-422 (wearing a mask in public)
• 18.2-423 (burning a cross on certain property)
• 18.2-423.01 (burning an object on certain property)
• 18.2-423.1 (placing a swastika on certain property)
• 18.2-423.2 (displaying a noose on certain property)
• 18.2-461 (falsely summoning or giving false report to law enforcement officials)

Prince William County Ordinance:

• Sec. 16-56 (graffiti prevention and removal)

If you believe that you or someone you know has been the victim of a hate crime, contact police immediately.

•    Call 9-1-1 in an emergency or to report in-progress crimes.
•    Call 703-792-6500 in Prince William County for non-emergency situations or for crimes that previously occurred.

Preserve any available evidence of the alleged hate or bias-related crime by taking pictures of vandalism, keeping copies of any videos taken, noting witnesses, descriptions of the offender(s), their vehicle(s), etc. This information and evidence should be shared with law enforcement officials investigating the crime you have reported.