Bias Unit:
The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Bias Crimes/Community Relations Unit is comprised of specially trained personnel who can
assist the local police or conduct independent investigations.
The Unit receives notification of all bias incidents or hate crimes that occur in the County.
Notification is made directly to this Unit and to the Attorney General’s Office from all
municipal police departments. A determination is made whether the alleged is in fact a bias
incident (not prosecutable but monitored) or a bias crime (prosecutable). Bias incidents
are referred back to the reporting department for follow-up if needed. Criminal complaints
for Bias Crimes are forwarded to the Prosecutor’s Office for prosecution.
A member of the Unit continues to work closely with municipal police departments and other
governmental agencies with respect to bias crime investigations as well as improving
police/community relations. Each municipal police department has an assigned bias officer
who coordinates investigative work and the sharing of intelligence. Meetings of the
Middlesex County Bias Officers’ Association are held regularly where as the sharing of
information and case monitoring, representatives with up-to-date materials and information.
Members of the staff also participate in the State Bias Officers’ Association.
Efforts are made to coordinate activities with local officials and groups, such as
municipal human relations commissions, providing public speaking engagements and
community outreach to address the problems on a larger but still local scale.
