ALPENA ― The FBI wants residents to report hate crimes.

To make such reporting easier, the agency’s Detroit Division recently released a new email address allowing residents to disclose suspected hate crimes and other civil rights violations directly to FBI special agents.

Residents can email an agent at MichiganCivilRights@fbi.gov to report a hate crime, which the FBI defines as a criminal offense against a person or property motivated by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.

Residents can also share anonymous tips about hate crimes by calling 800-CALL-FBI or visiting tips.fbi.gov.

Michigan law enforcement agencies reported 377 hate crimes in 2020, according to the FBI.