The Los Angeles Police Department released internal numbers on September 21, 2026 that confirm a growing wave of hate-motivated offenses targeting the LGBTQ+ community. While the
In the San Fernando Valley Police Bureau incidents against gay men leapt from eight in 2025 to eleven in 2026, a 38% increase. Anti-trans offenses doubled, moving from two cases last year to four this year. The West Los Angeles Police Bureau recorded a rise from thirteen to seventeen attacks on gay men (31%) and a jump from four to eight anti-trans crimes, again a 100% surge. The South Bureau saw its anti-trans count swell from two to five, representing a 150% jump despite only three additional incidents.
Why the percentages surge despite small absolute numbers
Detective Dara Hamilton, the department’s hate-crimes coordinator, warned that the modest raw figures can produce outsized percentage changes. When a category moves from two incidents to five, the percentage climbs dramatically even though only three more victims are involved. Nevertheless, each count corresponds to a person whose safety and dignity were compromised, a point underscored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath when she noted that “each of these numbers represents a person whose dignity was violated and whose community feels that harm.”
Under-reporting clouds the true scale
Police officials acknowledge that the official tally likely understates the reality. A November 2025 analysis by the UCLA Williams Institute found that victims of anti-LGBQ hate crimes are nine times more likely than other hate-crime victims to cite a negative view of police as a reason for not reporting. Local ABC affiliate KESQ has also highlighted a persistent reluctance among LGBTQ+ residents to involve law enforcement, a sentiment rooted in a long history of strained police-community relations.
The community’s mistrust was intensified after the February 2025 death of 30-year-old transgender woman and sex worker Linda Becerra Moran. After calling 911 for a suspected kidnapping, Moran was met with lethal force from LAPD officers, leaving her on life support before she died. Soma Snakeoil, executive director of The Sidewalk Project, described the incident as “having chilling connotations for survivors in L.A.”, noting that fear of police retaliation can deter victims from seeking help.
LAPD’s planned response to bias-motivated violence
The department’s correspondence outlines a suite of measures aimed at curbing identity-based hate crimes. Proposed actions include revising existing policies, expanding specialized hate-crime training, establishing a dedicated investigative unit, and forging stronger prosecution partnerships. Additional tactics involve deploying protective resources to at-risk neighborhoods, enhancing community liaison programs, creating non-police reporting channels, and improving data accuracy.
According to the memo, the board is asked to evaluate success using two metrics: a reduction in the number of hate crimes and a higher proportion of those incidents that are reported and investigated. By addressing both the prevalence of attacks and the barriers to reporting, the LAPD hopes to restore confidence among LGBTQ+ residents and stem the upward trend documented in the latest statistics.
