Agenda item

To consider a report on hate crime and hate incidents in Dorset, including Dorset Police’s response, victim support and the key lines of enquiry.

The Commissioner emphasised that hate crimes were crimes first and highlighted the significant and lasting impact they could have on victims, including loss of confidence, social isolation and an increased sense of vulnerability. It was noted that 937 hate crimes had been recorded in Dorset during the previous year, with increases in racial and religious hate crime.

The Panel was advised that tackling hate crime remained a priority within the Police and Crime Plan, with a range of activity underway to improve outcomes for victims and communities. This included engagement with schools and communities, Operation Hampshire, the introduction of hate crime review panels and the Victim Champion. Support was also available through services commissioned by the OPCC, while review panels considered victims’ experiences to help identify opportunities for improvement.

The Commissioner highlighted the importance of increasing confidence in reporting and making the process as accessible as possible, including through third-party reporting centres. Although recorded hate crime in Dorset had remained relatively stable, it was recognised that this only reflected incidents reported to the police. Further work would therefore continue around community engagement, communication, victim support and the development of hate crime review arrangements.

Questions and comments from the members on the report (00:18:23 on the recording)

• Cllr Keddie commended the report, particularly its insight into frontline officers’ experiences and the Force’s willingness to reflect on its own practices. He emphasised the importance of Dorset Police setting the highest standards in addressing institutional racism.
• The Hate Crime report provided a lot of detail about traditional Hate Crimes but does not cover the mass immigration protests we have seen over recent weeks, nationally and more specifically locality, at the RNLI headquarters in Poole. 
• Concern was expressed for staff and volunteers, with support sought for measures to protect them.
• What is Dorset’s approach to other coordinated actions that can amplify community tensions, such as the erecting of flags on street furniture and other public assets?
• It was questioned whether the same advice would be provided to someone displaying a fete sign as to a member of the public displaying the national flag.
• It is noted that reported incidents remain stable.  How confident is the PCC that the number of incidents reported reflect the actual position, and how is the PCC engaging with hard-to-reach groups to improve reporting. 
• The PCC was thanked for engaging with communities, particularly younger people who may mistrust the police, and the work undertaken was welcomed.
• How does the OPCC and Dorset Police focus resourcing on proactive monitoring social media to understand community tensions and calls to action by known groups? 
• Clarification was sought on how intelligence was recorded, both online and offline, and how hate incidents were defined where the threshold for a crime had not been met. The Commissioner’s strong approach to tackling hate crime was welcomed.
• Referring to section 3 of the report, clarification was sought on whether the Safer Schools and Communities Team initiative was funded and whether further school visits were planned in Poole and Bournemouth North, which had been identified as areas of concern

Follow on panel questions and responses from PCC (00:21:01 on the recording) and at appendix 1.