What is a Bias Incident?

• A bias incident is any act of intimidation committed against a person or property (public or private) because of a person’s actual or perceived: race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, or ethnicity.[1]
• Bias incidents may include: name calling, offensive language, inappropriate gestures/behavior or graffiti, etc.
• In 2019, the Office of the Attorney General issued updated guidelines enhancing the investigation and reporting of bias incidents
• Not all bias incidents rise to the level of a bias crime!

[1] A “bias incident” can also be defined as any suspected or confirmed act of bias intimidation. To read our Bias Investigation Standards, click here.