Policy Text
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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1.1 Law Enforcement Role and Authority: Law Enforcement Agency Role
1.1.10 Hate Crimes (Issued : 12/23/25 )
It is the policy of the UCSF Police Department to safeguard the rights of all individuals, regardless
of their disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and/or
association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
Any acts or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation or other crimes
motivated by hate or bias are viewed very seriously and giv en high priority.
Recognizing the fear and distress typically suffered by victims of hate crimes, the far -reaching
negative consequences of the crimes on the community and the potential for reprisal and escalation
of violence, t he UCSF Police Department will take vigorous law enforcement action and employ
the resources necessary to identify and arrest hate crime perpetrators and will attend to the security
and related concerns of the immediate victims and their families as feasible .
UCSF Police o fficers are required to be familiar with th is policy and carry out the policy at all
times , unless directed by the Chief of Police or his/her designee. The policy may be viewed online
on the Department’s Public Documents Page at https://public.powerdms.com/UCSF/tree .
A. Purpose
The purpose of this policy to assist in identifying and handling crimes motivated by hate
or other bias toward individuals and groups with legally defined protected characteristics,
to define appropriate steps for assisting victims and to provide a guide for conducting hate
crime -related investigations. It outlines the policy for prevention, response, access to
assistance, victim assistance and follow -up and reporting as related to law enforcement’s
role in handling hate crimes. It also serves as a declaration that hate crimes are tak en
seriously by the Department and uses resources to investigate and solve offense s, build
community trust and increas e police legitimacy
B. Definitions
In accordance with PC §§ 422.55, 422.56, 422.6, and 422.87, the following definitions
shall apply:
1. Hate Crime : “Hate crime” means a criminal act committed, in whole or in part,
because of one or more of the following actual or perceived characteristics of the
victim:
a. Disability
b. Gender
c. Nationality
d. Race or ethnicity
e. Relig ion
f. Sexual orientation
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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g. Association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or
perceived characteristics .
(1) “Hate crime” includes, but is not limited to, a violation of PC § 422.6.
(2) Association with a person or group with these actual or perceived
characteristics includes advocacy for, identification with, or being on the
ground owned or rented by, or adjacent to, any of the following: a
community center, educational facility, family, individual, office, meeting
hall, place of wo rship, private institution, public agency, library, or other
entity, group, or person that has, or is identified with people who have, one
or more of those characteristics listed in the definition of “hate crime” under
paragraphs 1 to 6, inclusive, of PC § 422.55 subdivision (a).
Note: A “hate crime” need not be motivated by hate but may be motivated
by any bias against a protected characteristic.
2. Hate Speech : The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects most speech,
even when it is disagreeable, offensive, or hurtful. The f ollowing types of speech
are generally not protected: fighting words, true threats, perjury, blackmail,
incitement to lawless action, conspiracy and solicitation to commit any crime.
3. Hate Incident : A “hate incident” is an action or behavior motivated b y hate or bias
that could be legally protected by the First Amendment right to freedom of
expression. Examples of hate incidents include:
a. Name -calling
b. Insults and epithets
c. Distributing hate material in public places
d. Displaying hate material on your own property .
4. Bias Motivation : Bias motivation is a preexisting negative attitude toward actual or
perceived characteristics referenced in PC § 422.55. Depending on the
circumstances of each case, bias motivation may include, but is not limite d to,
hatred, animosity, discriminatory selection of victims, resentment, revulsion,
contempt, unreasonable fear, paranoia, callousness, thrill -seeking, desire for social
dominance, desire for social bonding with those of one’s “own kind,” or a
perception of the vulnerability of the victim due to the victim being perceived as
being weak, worthless, or fair game because of a protected characteristic, including,
but not limited to, disability or gender.
5. Disability Bias : In recognizing suspected disability -bias hate crimes, officers shall
consider whether there is any indication that the perpetrator was motivated by
hostility or other bias, occasioned by factors such as, but not limited to, dislike of
persons who arouse fe ar or guilt, a perception that persons with disabilities are
inferior and therefore “deserving victims,” a fear of persons whose visible traits are
perceived as being disturbing to others, or resentment of those who need, demand
or receive alternative educ ational, physical, or social accommodations.
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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