ROCHESTER, Minn. (FOX 47) -- Rochester saw its fair share of hate crimes in 2011.
But what's even more alarming is that several go unreported.
Tuesday afternoon Olmsted County Board adopted a Bias/Hate Crime and Incident Response plan to show a zero tolerance for hate crimes.
After a hate crime, Dodge Fillmore Olmsted County Victim Services will contact the family involved.
It will then notify the Bias/Hate Crimes Response Team, composed of community members, within 24 hours.
Support will then be given to the families, including follow-up visits.
A main reason behind the plan is to diminish the fear hate crimes have caused for families.
"We have the feeling through lots of people on the street with experience that a number of these [hate crimes] are not reported. We felt that an initiative to begin to address these things will enable people to come forward, speak freely," Olmsted County Board Chair Ken Brown said.
It's been three months since Muhubo Karey's house in Rochester was vandalized, including slashed tires, toilet paper and eggs.
She says she still lives in fear.
Her children no longer go outside to play.
The hope is that through community awareness and support the team can slowly break down those barriers, like fear, created by others.
Rochester City Council will vote on the Bias/Hate Crime and Incident Response Plan in the near future.
