Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy wants a change in the way bias crimes are handled.

Minority leaders are outraged that many hate crimes in Suffolk are only elevated to harassment charges. Last week, a student at H.B. Ward Vocational Center in Riverhead said three white classmates brought in a black action figure with a noose around its neck, which they hung on the classroom door. Those students were only charged with harassment and not a bias crime.

Levy says the state Legislature needs to toughen bias crime laws so local police departments can take the appropriate action.

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