Billings’ local law enforcement and religious authorities combat hate crimes

Billings, Montana – In order to identify and report hate crimes, a number of personnel from the FBI, Billings Police Department, US Attorney’s Office, and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office met with local religious leaders on Wednesday evening.

Five of the 17 hate crimes reported in Montana in 2021, according to a news release from the FBI, occurred in Billings.

As a Federal felony, hate crimes are taken seriously by the police department, according to BPD Chief Rich St. John. Police will conduct a thorough investigation and treat the victims with compassion, Chief St. Johns stated.

“So, all we are doing, from us is building community trust and we are going to handle these things appropriately. our officers are trained to be aware. these things happen and we are sensitive about them and don’t engage in any ourselves because it’s easy to fall into that trap. you start name calling and then you’re no better than anybody else.” said Chief St. John

This project, according to Rabbi Shaul Shedi of Chabad Lubavitch in Billings, will assist the community as a whole in getting over differences and continuing to move toward positive change.

“As we grow, the next step is not only to take a step and say okay we are doing alright we haven’t been hateful’ but to actually take the proactive step of now let me increase in my random acts of goodness and kindness, which creates a society where that kind of peculates and creates a society of goodness and kindness instead of just when we are in our own bubble.” said Rabbi Shkedi.

Added Rabbi Shkedi The United Against Hate Initiative is a crucial instrument for uniting the neighborhood in order to eradicate hatred and promote love.

“The message of being untied shows that as we come together as the strengths united, the education, and the reach becomes stronger, and the message to find out more and learn more about your neighbor, and learn more about what it means to interact with your neighbor something like an event like this provides the publicity for that kind of thoughts process.”