Atkins, Golik speak out on hatred, bigotry

A joint statement issued Wednesday by Clark County Sheriff Chuck Atkins and Prosecuting Attorney Tony Golik addressing hatred and bigotry in the community left some people scratching their heads.

Many questioned what prompted the statement, issued on the sheriff’s office’s Facebook page, and why it was issued now.

The statement, in part, reads: “We reject hate, bigotry, harassment, violence or the inciting of violence, and all actions intended to harm or intimidate others based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, or any other attribute which serves to marginalize people or groups of people.”

In an interview, Golik said there wasn’t just one precipitating incident that prompted the statement; they’ve been discussing the issues addressed for some time.

“The sheriff and I feel it’s important to put out a statement like this based on things that have happened nationally, in other communities and in our community,” he said. “I think there’s been an uptick in polarization, hate speech, which certainly can lead to hate crimes.”

Atkins echoed that sentiment and said the statement is in response to a “culmination of what we’ve been seeing over the last year, year and a half of growing protests in Portland and also seen as part of the citizenry here in Clark County (who have) joined in on some of that.

“I just felt in light of everything we’re seeing on the news … the citizens of Clark County needed to know where we stood and what to expect from us,” Atkins said, adding that what we see “going on in downtown Portland is very much going on here, as well, maybe not to the magnitude. … The magic bridge doesn’t separate us by much.”

Two recent local incidents, Golik said, have drawn discussion and concerns among Clark County residents.

In May, there was an altercation outside Vancouver Mall involving a member of the far-right fraternal organization Proud Boys — known for its white-nationalist rhetoric — and an African-American teenager. And in July, the sheriff’s office fired a deputy photographed wearing, and who apparently merchandises, apparel affiliated with the Proud Boys.

Golik said the statement doesn’t seek to single out any one group, because there are groups on each side of the political aisle, with different idealogies, causing problems. There is also no political motive behind the statement, both officials said. Golik, a Democrat, and Atkins, a Republican, are both running unopposed for re-election in their races.

“We are concerned that we may see more issues of potential violence in our community over the next few months,” Golik said. “I think all communities should be concerned, as the country has entered into a divisive time.”

The upcoming midterm election in November is one factor, he said, adding that national politics has become more polarized.

‘Malicious harassment’

In Washington, hate crimes are charged as malicious harassment, a class C felony. Examples, if evidence of bias is proven, include assault, vandalism and threats.

Last year, 531 bias-motivated incidents and 681 bias-motivated offenses were reported throughout the state, according to an annual report issued by the Washington Association of Sheriff’s and Police Chiefs. The report says there were 435 known offenders.

The top offense was intimidation, followed by destruction of property, simple assault, aggravated assault, larceny, burglary, robbery, fraud, violation of a no-contact order, motor vehicle theft, arson, stolen property, kidnapping, sodomy, murder and non-negligent manslaughter.

Of the reported motivations, race/ethnicity/ancestry was the top, followed by religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability. The report states that there can be up to three motivations per incident.

Bias-motivated incidents and bias-motivated offenses rose 37.6 percent and 84.1 percent, respectively, from 2016 to 2017, according to the 2017 report. In comparison, bias-motivated incidents and bias-motivated offenses rose 36.9 percent and 14.2 percent, respectively, from 2015 to 2016, the 2016 annual report shows.

Golik said only a small number of hate crimes are charged each year in Clark County.

Since 2014, local law enforcement has referred 25 cases for malicious harassment, he said, and the prosecuting attorney’s office filed charges in 15 of those referrals.

“(The numbers) underrepresent the actual level of the issue we have here in our community, just like so many communities across the country have,” he said.

There are plenty of cases that are investigated or charged where the motive may be hatred or racism, he said, but his office can’t necessarily prove it.

“I think that our community needs to focus on these issues, identify them as priorities and come together to continue to work on these issues,” he said. “I think that it is important that we don’t fall into a pattern of thinking or acting like we don’t have problems, because like all other large communities we do, and we need to work on these issues.

“Our community has made great strides over time, but there is significant work to be done,” Golik added.

Atkins said he hopes the statement generates conversation — and it has.

The issue of immigration status, mentioned in the statement, struck a cord with some Facebook commenters.

Atkins said undocumented immigrants who commit crimes will be treated the same in the criminal justice system as legal citizens. “And in the same right, merely being here doesn’t subject you to hatred and bias just because you may be or appear to be undocumented,” he said.

“I don’t care who you are; this stuff should not happen to you,” Atkins said. “And if it does, we will investigate it and (Golik) will prosecute it.”