The Suffolk County Hate Crimes Unit held a public hearing in Patchogue Thursday to teach tolerance after several incidents put a spotlight on the town.

Several teens are awaiting trial for allegedly killing an Ecuadorian immigrant 10 months ago. Most recently, anti-Hispanic notes were found at the altar of a church in Patchogue. A handful of other bias crimes have been reported across the county as well.

Officials say they hope to get a sense about how the public feels about hate crimes in the county. They also hope hearings like the one at Briarcliff College will encourage potential hate crime victims to come forward.