By a vote of 5-1, Johns Creek has adopted an ordinance calling for stiffer penalties for crimes committed as an act of hate against a member of a particular group.
The measure allows enhanced penalties for violations of city ordinances, such as vandalism, that target victims “because of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or national origin.” The law also requires police to report hate crimes to the FBI.
The ordinance, modeled after one in Sandy Springs, is in response to a citizen concerned about a rash of anti-Semitic acts nationwide, Mayor Mike Bodker said.
“Our chief of police has said to us this is a tool in the tool belt,” Bodker said. “He may in fact not utilize this tool because there are other tools at the state and federal level that they would try to do first because they (have) more severe penalties. But the bottom line is, if nothing else, this is a very strong message that says, hate will not be allowed in Johns Creek.”
