KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Law enforcement from all over Tennessee will head to the University of Tennessee next month for a training on hate crimes.
UT Police will co-host the training, set for Oct. 3, for local, state and federal law enforcement ofifcers.
The training will go over topics including how hate crimes affect communities, reporting of hate crimes and enforcement of hate crime laws.
The director of programs and operations for the Matthew Shepard Foundation, Cynthia M. Deitle, will lead the course.
According to the FBI, the number of reported hate crimes has been increasing over the past five years.
"In 2017, more than 130 hate crimes were reported in Tennessee. Yet according to the National Crime Victimization survey more than 60 percent of hate-related incidents are not reported to a law enforcement agency," a release from UTPD said.
The conference will address proper procedure for investigation and prosecution of hate crimes, keeping a strong relationship between law enforcement and vulnerable communities among other topics.
The conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at UTPD on 1101 Cumberland Avenue.
Online registration is now open and space is limited.
UTPD is partnering with the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators to offer the training. Other sponsors include the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Divided Community Project, and the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.