Schneiderman Asks Local Police Departments To Be On Watch For Hate Crimes

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on Thursday asked local law enforcement agencies statewide to be vigilant about identifying and reporting possible hate crimes.

Schneiderman made the announcement while surrounded by immigrants' rights advocates.

The Democrat says he sent local district attorneys and police chiefs a bulletin reminding them of state bias crime statutes and the need to report such claims.

The FBI reported Monday that in 2015, hate crimes against Muslims in the U.S. rose to their highest number since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The 2015 calendar year included terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California.

After the California shootings, Republican President-elect Donald Trump called for a moratorium on Muslims entering the U.S.

Schneiderman is a Trump foe. His civil fraud lawsuit against Trump University is pending.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has also set up a hotline to report hate crimes. The number for the hotline is (888) 392-3644.

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