The Salt Lake City Police Department is failing to respond to hate crimes against gays and is telling homosexuals they bring the crimes upon themselves "because of who we are," a gay man told the City Council Tuesday.
But Police Chief Michael Chabries said the incident was an isolated occurrence that the department was already investigating and to paint the entire department as anti-gay because of a single assault is unfair.On March 9, six gay men were assaulted on Main Street by a 13 assailants, one of whom struck one gay man with a baseball bat, Dennis Morrow, 21, told the council.
Morrow said the incident was reported to police, who responded. But a female officer who Morrow could not identify told the group of gays they could expect little police assistance.
"I was told by the police officer that we were not victims, we were bringing it on ourselves because of who we are," Morrow said.
"That's basically like saying that if the blacks were willing to go back to Africa that the Klu Klux Klan would not burn crosses on their front lawns," Morrow said.
Morrow, who said he was not representing an organized homosexual group, asked the council and Mayor Palmer DePaulis to pressure the police department into responding more appropriately to hate crimes.
"We'd like to count on the Salt Lake Police Department's support . . but if we can't, we'll fight back anyway we can," he said.
"Yes, it's a tough issue. It's an issue that's got a lot of taboos surrounding it. But we're asking you to put ethics and justice before that," he said.
Chabries said he was aware of the incident and it was under investigation. However, no formal complaint has been lodged against the officer whom Morrow quoted, and therefore he was not aware of her comments.
"All we have to have is a complaint of misconduct (by an officer) and we'll look into it," Chabries said.
While Morrow said he was aware of other hate crimes against gays, Chabries said "that's easy for him to say at a City Council meeting." No one has reported similar incidents to the department.
"I've been chief now for almost two years, and this is the first time that complaint's been raised, and he didn't take it to me, he took it to the City Council," Chabries said.