For Immediate Release: Thursday, May 9, 2002
A significant spike in hate crimes following the September 11 attack on America boosted Montgomery County's overall crime rate last year. In releasing the 2001 crime data today, County officials pointed to a 162 percent jump in reported religious hate crimes last year -- many anti-Islamic in nature. Representing the first noteworthy increase in reported hate crimes in five years, the number of religious hate crimes jumped from 16 to 42 between the year 2000 and 2001, and overall hate crimes rose 76 percent.
County Executive Douglas M. Duncan announced today that he will be proposing legislation to double the amount of awards available to individual victims of hate crimes who suffer property damage. The legislation will also expand the awards to include personal injury costs. The Partnership Fund, administered by the County's Human Rights Commission, currently provides awards of up to $2,000 per victim - an amount that will increase to $4,000 under Duncan's legislative initiative.
"We suffered a disastrous loss on September 11, but we need to be mindful of the values that have made this nation great - religious and political freedom, cultural diversity, and the vast economic opportunities for all," said County Executive Douglas M. Duncan. "We live in one of the most diverse communities in the nation, and it is important that we not allow terrorism to infiltrate the heart of our democracy. Making victims of our neighbors only makes matters worse."
"There is no place in our society for these types of crimes where people are victimized merely because of their religious beliefs or ethnicity," said Chief Moose. "We take these incidents very seriously, and we investigate them vigorously."
"Unless we address hate/violence incidents immediately, we will inevitably move toward a culture that tolerates and even encourages such incidents," said Odessa Shannon, executive director of the Montgomery County Human Rights Commission.
Since September 11, Montgomery County has focused considerable attention on homeland security and efforts to unify the community and promote tolerance. In addition, police officers have worked closely with religious and cultural organizations to help protect them from hate crimes. A campaign to promote respect and tolerance among diverse residents, along with efforts to help residents deal with stress and to denounce Anthrax threats and hoaxes were also launched soon after the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
The campaign to promote tolerance is continues, and the County's Human Rights Commission (HRC) offers a variety of programs to prevent hate crimes, support victims and educate the public about human rights laws. Prevention activities include monthly meetings with the Police Department's Community Relations Unit to determine the presence of trends or hot spots involving hate incidents, and promoting on-going community dialogues to foster an atmosphere of tolerance and understanding. The County's Human Rights Commission joined the Maryland Association of Human Rights Agencies and the Department of Justice in co-sponsoring a statewide Human Rights Summit in Timonium this week.
In conjunction with National Arson Awareness Week, which runs through May 11, the County's Fire/Rescue Services is revisiting several unsolved arson cases, including a 1993 fire-bombing on the day after Thanksgiving in the Clarksburg/Damascus area. Damages to the Pleasant Grove Community Church - the oldest operational African American Church in Montgomery County - amounted to more than $40,000. In addition, investigators believe that two vehicle fires set during the same time period -- between 4 and 5 a.m. on November 26, 1993 - and in the same area of the County, were related to the church fire.
The arson case remains unsolved, and investigators are encouraging individuals who may have knowledge of the fire-bombing to come forward and provide information that may lead to an arrest. Anyone who can offer clues regarding this crime is encouraged to call Montgomery County Crimesolvers at 1-800-673-2777 or the Montgomery County Fire and Explosive Investigations Unit at 240-777-2255. Fire investigators are also seeking information on other unsolved arson cases, including fires at a dental lab in Rockville, a school in Gaithersburg, and a carpet store in Takoma Park.
Last year, there were 423 arson cases, accounting for $3 million in damages in Montgomery County. This represents 20 percent of all fires and almost 10 percent of all fire losses.
"Arson is a serious crime in any circumstance, but particularly when it is carried out against a religious institution," said Fire Administrator Gordon Aoyagi. "This is not a victimless crime, and we often need the public to help us solve cases like the Pleasant Grove Community Church fire and others that have affected the lives of so many of our residents."
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Montgomery County 2001 Crime Statistics Reveal
Dramatic Rise in Hate Crimes
Montgomery County Police Chief Charles A. Moose today announced a modest increase in overall crime, with a slight increase in total Part I crimes within the County last year. Part I crimes are defined as murders, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, larcenies, and auto thefts.
In making today's announcement, however, Chief Moose related that: "Montgomery County experienced a 76% increase in reported hate crimes and incidents in 2001." This represents the first noteworthy increase in five years. In particular, religious hate crimes increased by 162%, from 16 in 2000, to 42 in 2001. Moose stated: "There is no place in our society for these types of crimes where people are victimized merely because of their religious beliefs or ethnicity. We take these incidents very seriously and investigate them vigorously."
The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) statistics for 2001 when compared to the same period the previous year, revealed:
PART I CRIMES INCREASED BY 1%
Murders increased 58% (from 12 to 19)
Rape incidents decreased by 29% (from 168 to 120)
Robberies increased 16% (from 708 to 818)
Aggravated Assaults increased 3% (from 805 to 827)
Burglaries decreased by 2% (from 3,623 to 3,539)
Larcenies decreased by 1% (from 18,318 to 18,226)
Auto thefts increased by 15% (from 2,730 to 3,150)
PART II CRIMES INCREASED BY 9% **
Part II crimes are defined as minor assaults, arson, forgery-counterfeiting, bad checks, embezzlement, stolen property, vandalism, weapons, prostitution, sex offenses, Controlled Dangerous Substance laws, gambling, family offenses, juvenile offenses, liquor law violations, disorderly conduct, suicide, non-traffic offenses, traffic offenses, miscellaneous calls, deer complaints, hunting complaints, and traffic accidents.
TOTAL CRIME INCREASED BY 6% **
**Note: For reporting purposes, arson and narcotics-related incidents were not included in these totals.
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Investigators Revisit
Unsolved Arson Cases
During Arson Awareness Week, May 5-11, 2002, fire investigators are revisiting the following unsolved arson cases and asking anyone who may have information about them to call the Montgomery County Crimesolvers at 1-800-673-2777 or the Montgomery County Fire and Explosive Investigations Unit directly at 240-777-2255.
Church Fire-Bombing, November 26, 1993 - on the day after Thanksgiving, there were three separate set fires reported in the upper Montgomery County area. The fire partially destroyed the oldest operational African American Church in Montgomery County, the Pleasant Grove Community Church, located at 11225 Mt. View Road. Set fires also destroyed two vehicles that were parked at the time at 25300 Clarksburg Road and 14370 Comus Road. Fire Investigators believe that the fires were perpetrated by the same individual(s) using more than likely fire bombs or Molotov cocktails. The fires occurred between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. The senselessness of these acts victimized the community and resulted in property damage of over $60,000 dollars. The fires were the act of an arsonist.
Dental Lab in Rockville, February 14, 1999 (Valentine's Day) --, at approximately 11 p.m. a fire was reported at 8600 Zetts Avenue, in Rockville. The fire involved a single-family home which had been converted into a dentist lab. The fire investigation revealed that the fire originated in the kitchen area with the possible use of an accelerant (flammable). The fire was ruled as arson with a likely "storehouse" break-in or in other words to cover up a break-in. The business is located at a busy intersection where suspicious activities should be noted, possibly by a passerby. The fire caused over $80,000 dollars in damage.
School in Gaithersburg, May 6, 2001 -- at approximately 9:30 p.m., a fire was reported at 7401 Hadley Farms Drive, in Gaithersburg. The property, Phoenix II School, was used by the Montgomery County Public School System for students with special needs. Fire Investigators determined the fire was purposely set in the rear of the school building. This act of arson displaced over 45 students, totally destroyed the building and caused over $1 million dollars in damage.
Carpet Store in Takoma Park, July 31, 2001 - at approximately 3:15 a.m., a fire was reported in a carpet store located at 6600 New Hampshire Avenue, in Takoma Park. The fire totally destroyed a single-story commercial structure and an adjacent vehicle. The fire caused over $250,000 in structural damage and loss to the contents. The fire ruled incendiary in origin with the possible use of a liquid accelerant.
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Contact: Donna Bigler, 240-777-6530
Lt. Harold Allen, Police Media Services, 240-773-5030
Pete Piringer, Fire/Rescue Services, 240-777-2474