Tampa logs 13 hate crimes for '07, most in state

TAMPA — Tampa leads the state in the number of reported hate crimes, according to an annual report issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said that while Tampa's number may seem high compared with other agencies, it is more indicative of the agency's sensitivity to the issue of hate-motivated crime. "We have a very aggressive policy that we report all possible and borderline hate crimes," she said.

In 2007, Tampa police investigated 13 crimes they thought fit the description of having "evidence of prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity," in accordance with the 1990 Hate Crimes Statistic Act that requires such annual reporting.

Melbourne had the next highest number of reported hate crimes: nine.

McElroy said that after reviewing the reports that were submitted to the FBI's Hate Crime Statistics, 2007, she found at least five that were borderline cases.

For example, she said, eight cars were spray-painted with graffiti, one of which included a swastika and a racial epithet aimed at black people. But the owner of the car was neither Jewish nor black.

"We have a zero tolerance for hate crime," she said.

Pinellas County reported one hate crime. Hillsborough County tallied four. Hernando County counted two.

Miami-Dade, Florida's largest county, reported zero — as did St. Petersburg, Clearwater, New Port Richey, Dade City and Zephyrhills.