(Hillsboro, OR) -- The Washington County District Attorney's Office has been awarded a 300-thousand dollar grant to combat a rise in bias and hate crimes. The money comes from the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crime Program which is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice. The county will use the money to create a new Bias Crime Multidisciplinary Team which will include law enforcement and community partner organizations. It will develop strategies and training to combat bias and hate crimes.