Police urge Melton people to report hate crime

Leicestershire Police chief constable Simon Cole and the county's police and crime commissioner Lord Willy Bach have urged the public to report all incidents of hate crime to the force.
A presentation on hate crime was recently delivered by Leicestershire Police hate crime officer Pc Darren Goddard to young people who attend the Baptist Church Youth Club on Leicester Road, Melton. EMN-160107-173830001A presentation on hate crime was recently delivered by Leicestershire Police hate crime officer Pc Darren Goddard to young people who attend the Baptist Church Youth Club on Leicester Road, Melton. EMN-160107-173830001
A presentation on hate crime was recently delivered by Leicestershire Police hate crime officer Pc Darren Goddard to young people who attend the Baptist Church Youth Club on Leicester Road, Melton. EMN-160107-173830001

On a typical day Leicestershire Police receives between two and three reports of hate crime, around 900 reports per year. This trend has continued in recent days but there has been anecdotal information that members of various local communities have been experiencing harassment and verbal abuse.

Mr Cole said: “Hate crime can have a really significant impact on victims and we believe that it is something that is under reported. We take allegations of hate crime very seriously.

“The way that we investigate these reports is monitored by an independent hate crime scrutiny panel. As part of the Stamp it Out campaign, partners across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland have committed to working together to ensure local communities are as safe as they can be.”

Lord Bach added: “We are watching the situation closely. There are a variety of reporting routes available and I would encourage both victims and witnesses to use them. Hate crime will absolutely not be tolerated in our community.”

Leicestershire Police hate crime officer Pc Darren Goddard recently gave a presentation on hate crime to young people who attend the Baptist Church Youth Club on Leicester Road, Melton. The presentation was very well received by the group.

You can report a hate crime either by phoning 101, going along to your local station, or via the True Vision website www.report-it.org.uk

For more information on hate crime visit https://leics.police.uk/hate-crime