In 2026, Larimer County became the latest Northern Colorado area to launch a nonemergency hotline for bias- and hate-driven crimes. The hotline, which operates in English, Spanish and Arabic, is open to voice message reports from community members 24/7.

Callers are asked to provide information for later contact and share as much information about the situation as they would like. The district attorney’s office then works internally and in collaboration with law enforcement to find out whether a crime occurred and how to best move forward.

The project was spearheaded by District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin, who was involved in efforts to expand the county’s definition of bias-motivated crimes in 2021. This alteration has given him and the county more room to prosecute crimes that can be proven as motivated, at least in part, by bias.

McLaughlin said the hotline was inspired by both Boulder County’s office, which he spoke to about their version of this resource, and concerned community members.

“(People) are really at a time of sort of great fear and turmoil in terms of what they can expect from law enforcement response,” McLaughlin said. “And so this is an attempt to provide an additional avenue for folks who may be victims of these crimes to call and report.”

The hotline is not a replacement for 911 or other emergency services. In cases of immediate danger, those are still the main contacts. And in instances where people feel comfortable speaking with their local police, such as students with the Colorado State University Police Department, McLaughlin encouraged them to continue reaching out to those resources.

The district attorney’s office is also fostering its own connection with law enforcement around the county, including at the university.

“We’re very much looking forward to the collaboration of CSUPD should any of these calls be calls on campus,” McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin encouraged people to call, even if they are unsure about whether their report is a criminal offense.

“That’s our job to figure out whether it was criminal, whether it meets the elements of a statute, whether there’s enough evidence to prosecute it,” McLaughlin said. “We don’t want to put that burden on victims.”

There are other avenues for receiving support in cases where personal information is sensitive, such as the Larimer County branch of the national Crime Stoppers program, which is fully anonymous.

However, if worry stems from an individual’s immigration status, McLaughlin assured residents that the District Attorney’s office has no connection to federal immigration enforcement, and everyone should feel comfortable contacting them for help.

Experts said growing distrust in law enforcement is not only an issue in Northern Colorado. Overall, residents across the country are more hesitant to report crimes, especially those in minority groups who may have negative relationships with the police.

“There’s a lot that goes into whether someone reports a crime,” said Jeffrey Nowacki, associate professor of sociology at CSU. “I would suggest that legitimacy, race and experiences with police is a big part of that.”

Nowacki has researched how diversity within police organizations affects people’s dynamic with the law. He said he found that minority groups’ distrust of police can lead to lower diversity within law enforcement agencies, as those groups tend to avoid law enforcement in their career and personal lives.

“Most police agencies don’t represent the communities where police work is being done,” Nowacki said. “There’s kind of this barrier between getting these diverse populations, including women and also racial and ethnic minorities, to come into policing.”

Kylie Massman, the community engagement specialist for the Larimer County District Attorney’s office, confirmed steps have been taken to build trust with local diversity groups.

“We’ve created relationships,” Massman said. “When someone reaches out and we might not be able to follow up with a crime, I at least have … someone who I trust that can maybe help you navigate as we’re moving forward.”

Although the hotline is still in its early stages, the response so far has been encouraging for people involved.

“We’ve gotten really, really positive feedback from a lot of folks,” McLaughlin said. “Knowing that the last year especially has been a really scary time, … anything additional we can do to support is really valuable right now.”

Groups such as PFLAG have put the number on their website, directing people to use the new resource.

“Building trust is (a) baby step,” McLaughlin said. “And in this effort particularly, we’re really trying to go sort of full speed in meeting people.”

Larimer County’s Bias-Motivated and Hate Crime Hotline can be reached at 970-498-7150.

Reach Maiya Kreamer at news@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.