Hate crime approach must be more consistent
Forces have been urged to do more to prioritise the service they offer hate crime victims following a thematic inspection.
Frequent pockets of good practice for dealing with hate crime need to be spread more consistently across policing, claims Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
Forces are not always correctly flagging hate incidents or gathering sufficient intelligence about them, and are not always consistently referring victims to support services.
HMICFRS also recommended that the quality of training in this area needs to be brought up to the same standard across the country.
However, it believes most forces have worked hard to raise awareness of hate crime among their officers and staff, and have made concerted efforts to promote reporting opportunities within communities.
HM Inspector Wendy Williams said: “We found many examples of individual police officers and staff dealing professionally, sensitively and effectively with victims.
“We also found positive practice in the approach of the forces we visited, but this tended to be as a result of the dedication of specific teams or individuals.
“We need such good practice to be consistent, both within forces and across all forces.”
HMICFRS’s first-ever hate crime inspection report, published on Thursday (July 19), identified several areas of “positive and innovative” practice across policing.
Gwent Police was praised for its use of hate crime champions to offer victims follow-up support, as well as its ‘cyber community support officer’.
Greater Manchester Police has raised awareness of hate crime among its officers and staff and has offered training to help them understand policing in diverse communities.
West Yorkshire Police has also used a multi-agency risk management approach and has involved local communities in scrutinising its approach to incidents.
Hardyal Dhindsa, hate crime lead for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, said: “Crimes motivated by hate and prejudice are extremely damaging, for both victims and for the fabric of our communities.
“I welcome this report for identifying both current good practice in forces to combat this crime type, and the next steps we must take.”