Bothell Police takes hate crimes very seriously.
A hate crime is one that is motivated by prejudice on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, or other factors. Nationally, and in Washington state, there has been a recent, significant increase in the number of hate crimes against Asian Americans.
Bothell Police Chief Ken Seuberlich and the entire Bothell Police force supports a recent proclamation signed by Bothell Mayor Liam Olsen and the Bothell City Council which condemns racism, xenophobia and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
In Bothell, the number of reported hate crimes is very low. But we know many hate crimes are not reported, due to fear, pressure and shame.
"Many cases are not reported because of cultural pressure," said Sergeant Ethan Nguyen. "Many people urge family members not to report hate crimes, telling them that reporting a crime to police will bring shame or dishonor upon the family. But there is no shame in reporting a hate crime. If it happens, it's not your fault and we want you to report it to police. It's important that we take action against hate crimes."
You can watch and hear Sergeant Nguyen's words of assurance, and message from Bothell Police about hate crimes in a brief video recently posted to social media.
Please report crimes to Bothell Police. If you are reporting a crime to Bothell Police and you think hate may be a factor, please talk to us about this. If a crime is happening right now, or if you know the suspect, call 9-1-1. You can also call our non-emergency number 425-486-1254. Translation services are available, if needed. Non-emergency crimes can also be reported online.