We spoke with Sean Locke, Director of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Unit, on how their work is essential for promoting social justice and equality in New Hampshire.

The Civil Rights Unit in New Hampshire plays a vital role in ensuring everyone is treated equally and fairly under the law. Created in December 2017 under the Department of Justice’s Office of the Attorney General, it primarily enforces two laws - the New Hampshire Law Against Discrimination and the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act - and is responsible for investigating and prosecuting civil rights violations in the state.

Before 2017, the Office of the Attorney General had enforcement authority under the Civil Rights Act and the NH laws against discrimination, but there weren’t the same kind of dedicated resources and focus that having a standalone unit provides.

The Recent Rise In Hate Crimes in New Hampshire is on the Civil Rights Unit’s Radar

A major milestone of the Civil Rights Unit is combating hate-motivated acts in the state and enforcing the Civil Rights Act. This started with the promulgation of protocols with local law enforcement in 2019:

Another of the Civil Rights Unit’s areas of focus related to hate-motivated acts is training for law enforcement:

The Civil Rights Unit’s most recent work, in terms of community outreach, led to the hate crime forum, which took place after the incidents that happened in Portsmouth in early 2023:

Everyone should be familiar with what their civil rights are, so they can protect theirs and respect others’

An entity like the Civil Rights Unit is essential not only as part of individuals’ right to have equal access to justice but also to clarify the message that discrimination and hate have no place in New Hampshire. To stress the importance of non-discrimination and civil rights, the Unit provides education and outreach to help prevent discrimination and promote understanding and acceptance of diversity. This includes working with community organizations, schools, and other groups to raise awareness of civil rights issues and to provide training on how to prevent discrimination.

The Civil Rights Unit also offers training on civil rights laws, to promote awareness and understanding:

The Unit's efforts to investigate and prosecute discrimination, address hate crimes and bias incidents, and ensure accessibility for people with disabilities are critical in creating a more fair and equitable society. The Unit's outreach and education efforts are also essential in promoting understanding and acceptance of diversity and in preventing discrimination before it occurs and protecting the rights of marginalized and vulnerable communities.

Click here to learn more about making a complaint with the Civil Rights Unit.

Biography

Assistant Attorney General Sean Locke has worked at the Attorney General’s Office in New Hampshire for 8 years and became the Director of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Unit in 2019. With a background in Law and Disability Rights, he is also an Adjunct Professor at the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law, in Concord, New Hampshire.