In Portsmouth: Fighting against hate crimes
Sgt Khubchandani named police department’s hate crimes and civil rights liaison officer
PORTSMOUTH — Following a statewide directive to prioritize civil rights work and protect diverse communities from crimes motivated by hate, the Portsmouth Police Department has named Detective Sgt. Khatu Khubchandani as the town’s hate crimes and civil rights liaison officer.
Earlier this month, R.I. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced that every police department in the state has appointed an officer to the special position as part of his initiative to prioritize civil rights work and battle against hate crimes.
“I commend our law enforcement partners for stepping up to the challenge to help ensure that the community and law enforcement are aligned in their work toward an effective response to bias incidents,” Attorney General Neronha said.
Sgt. Khubchandani is a 15-year veteran of the Portsmouth Police Department and has been a member of the detective division for the past six years. He currently oversees the prosecution of all department arrests in the court system and as a result has obtained a good working knowledge of the Rhode Island justice system, according to Police Chief Brian Peters.
“Sgt. Khubchandani was selected due to his knowledge, job experience, common sense, and his ability to apply these skills when reviewing and analyzing reports we receive from the public,” Chief Peters stated in an e-mail. “Sgt. Khubchandani will now be able to have direct access to representatives of the Attorney General’s Office when a report is received involving a hate crime. This will allow our two organizations to work together on our common goal of reducing crime targeted at minorities and other vulnerable groups.”
Sgt. Khubchandani has received training from the Attorney General’s Office on the subject and will continue to receive available training to increase his insight on the issue, he said.
“Having Sgt. Khubchandani in this role serves as a great benefit to our department and our community as we will maintain a dedicated professional who reviews all cases to identify hate crimes and their victims. This position also allows our community to have direct contact with an officer in our department, who is knowledgeable on the subject, and can guide victims through the process as we work together to pursue justice for these victims in our legal system,” Chief Peters said.
Sgt. Khubchandani can be reached at 401/643-0120 or kkhubchandani@portsmouthri.com.
“We hope to have a link set up on our website soon that will outline the program and provide easier access to his contact information,” the chief said. “The public should continue to report all possible hate crimes and civil rights violations by filing an initial police report with the patrol division. Questions and followup on the incidents as well as questions regarding specific incidents can be directed to Sgt. Khubchandani.”
