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Provincetown's Plan to Overcome Hate Incidents

No Place for Hate. On September 9, 2002, the Provincetown Board of Selectmen voted to proclaim Provincetown as "No Place for Hate." Earlier, the Board of Selectmen has voted, upon the occasion of the 10th anniversary of its adoption in 1992 of the resolution that "hate crimes of any type will not be tolerated in the Town of Provincetown."

The Resolution

"Haters watch to see what leaders do." Provincetown's leaders first adopted a resolution in 1992, and have renewed that resolution in 1997 and 2002.

Be it hereby resolved by the Provincetown Board of Selectmen that

1. Hate Crimes of any type will not be tolerated in the Town of Provincetown. It is the policy that the Provincetown Police Department shall investigate and seek prosecution of hate crimes to the fullest extent of the law, which shall include the use whenever possible of state civil rights statutes: Sections 37 and 39 of Chapter 265, Section 127A of Chapter 266 and Sections 92A and 98 of Chapter 272. The Town of Provincetown encourages the Office of the District Attorney, the Attorney General of the Commonwealth, federal law enforcement agencies, and the Courts to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law.

2. As used in this Resolution, a hate crime is any criminal act that manifests bigotry, bias, animus or prejudice against the victim on account of this victim's race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sex, sexual orientation or age.

Adopted June 8, 1992; Renewed June 9, 1997 and July 22, 2002.

The Plan

Provincetown's Award-winning Plan. Combining community action and education, law enforcement, and victim assistance, the Town of Provincetown, Massachusetts, has developed a dynamic interdisciplinary approach to fighting hate crimes which it calls the Plan to Overcome Hate Incidents. This early success in Provincetown's implementation of Community-Oriented Policing is a working partnership between the community, police, schools, and local government which has measurably improved the quality of life in this Cape Cod summer resort. Provincetown's Plan has produced a ninety percent (90%) reduction in the number of hate crimes committed annually, while promoting enduring problem-solving partnerships which have attracted attention beyond its borders. Click for report (PDF file).

Provincetown's Community-Oriented Policing Plan to Overcome Hate Incidents has been awarded the 1993 Kenneth E. Pickard Municipal Innovation Award from the Massachusetts Municipal Association ; and the 1995 Public Safety Program Excellence Award in Memory of William Hansell, Sr. from the International City Management Association.

On November 10, 1997, Town Manager Keith A. Bergman and then-Chief of Police Robert P. Anthony attend White House Conference on Hate Crimes, in Washington, D.C.

No Place For Hate

Adoption of “No Place for Hate” Proclamation. On September 9, 2002, the Provincetown Board of Selectmen voted "to join with other sponsoring agencies in the town of Provincetown and adopt the 'No Place for Hate'proclamation drafted by the Anti-Defamation League and the Massachusetts Municipal Association.“

Members of Provincetown's No Place for Hate Committee, led by Chief of Police Ted Meyer.

No Place for Hate Committee Survey: The No Place for Hate Committee is working on obtaining certification that Provincetown as a No Place for Hate Community by participating in a program developed by the Anti-Defamation League. Help the Committee by completing the Individual Assessment Form or if you are an organization, the Community Assessment Survey. Completed surveys can be returned to: Town of Provincetown, c/o Sgt. Carrie Lopes, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657. See No Place for Hate Committee description. For more information please contact Sgt. Carrie Lopes, Provincetown Police Department at 508-487-1212.

For more information contact: 
Office of the Chief of Police, Town of Provincetown, 26 Shankpainter Road, Provincetown, MA  02657 (508) 487-1213.

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