Community Relations Service

The Community Relations Service is the Department's "Peacemaker" for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion and disability.  CRS is not an investigatory or prosecutorial agency, and it does not have any law enforcement authority.

Rather, the Agency works with all parties, including State and local units of government, private and public organizations, civil rights groups, and local community leaders, to uncover the underlying interests of all of those involved in the conflict and facilitates the development of viable, mutual understandings and solutions to the community's challenges.  In addition, CRS assists communities in developing local mechanisms and community capacity to prevent tension and violent hate crimes from occurring in the future.  All CRS services are provided free of charge to the communities and are confidential.  CRS works in all 50 states and the U.S. territories, and in communities large and small, rural, urban and suburban.