03/29/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

Police support Hate Crime Awareness Week

DYFED-Powys Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner will be supporting the National Hate Crime Awareness Week which runs from 12th – 19th October 2019.

Police officers will be raising awareness as to what a Hate Crime or Incident is and encouraging members of the public to ‘Unite and Stand Together’ and ‘Say No to Hate Crime.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner will be ensuring that Out of Court Disposals for hate crime are independently assessed and scrutinised and that hate crime victims receive a high quality response and support.

Activities during Hate Crime Awareness week include: –

Officers, staff and partners will be taking part in a wide variety of activities and events in their communities to encourage increased awareness, build trust and confidence and secure enhanced future engagement with our service across Dyfed-Powys.

The Out of Court Disposal Panel will meet on the 14th of October to independently assess, scrutinise and quality control the use of out of court disposals (such as cautions, community resolutions and youth restorative disposals), by Dyfed-Powys Police. For the first time they will be reviewing 16 random dip-sample of hate crime cases from the last 12 months, eight of which include a youth suspect and eight of which are adult suspects.

A report will be published on the Police and Crime Commissioner’s website by the Quality Assurance Panel after they reviewed a random selection of 10 hate crime incidents from the last 10 months. The review focused on the quality of response, as well as ensuring that initial actions were implemented to support and safeguard any victim vulnerabilities.

Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said:

“I am pleased to be supporting a range of activity across the Force area on such important issues during Hate Crime Awareness Week. It is essential that the force response to hate crime incidents is reviewed and scrutinised independently. Both the Out of Court Disposal Panel and the Quality Assurance Panel play an important role in ensuring the correct decision has been made for the victim and that members of the public and victims of hate crime are receiving a good level of service and sufficient support. The feedback provided by both panels is invaluable and I thank them for their independent contribution.”

Dyfed-Powys Police Strategic Lead for Hate Crime, Chief Inspector Stuart Bell said:

“Hate crimes and incidents hurt; they can cause serious distress, confusion and fear. At Dyfed-Powys Police we are working hard to combat Hate Crime, understand its impacts and provide support to victims. With the support of victims, Out of Court Disposals (OOCD) are sometimes the most appropriate way to finalise a Hate Crime. I am pleased that the OOCD Scrutiny Panel are independently reviewing such cases to ensure that the correct decision has been made for the victim and that any learning for Dyfed-Powys Police is captured and acted upon. I would like to reassure our communities that by reporting crimes and incidents as they happen, police can investigate, bring offenders to justice and stop this from happening to someone else. Whether you are a victim or a witness to hate crime, please report it to us, we want to hear from you and stop this together.”

Victims are encouraged not to suffer in silence but to report hate crime by speaking to Neighbourhood Policing teams or via the 101 non-emergency number or 999 during an emergency.  Victims can also report electronically on the True Vision reporting system – www.report-it.org.uk

For further information please visit

www.dyfed-powys.police.uk/en/advice-support/i-am-being-targeted-because-of-a-difference/

www.dyfedpowys-pcc.org.uk/en/accountability-and-transparency/scrutiny/out-of-court-disposal-panel/

www.dyfedpowys-pcc.org.uk/en/the-office/volunteer-schemes/quality-assurance-panel/

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