The Met Is Doing More For Victims Of Race Hate Crime

Police are prosecuting perpetrators of racist violence in increasing numbers, says Steve Allen

London, UK, August 16, 2006 – Your article on race and hate crimes ('Don't you want to know why I'm bleeding?', August 2) may have left the reader with the impression that police do not care about the victims. The article reported that an incident, where a Muslim woman of Somali origin was assaulted by her white neighbor, exemplified the difficulties faced by victims of racist attacks at every stage of the criminal justice process.

The actions of the officers initially involved in this incident are subject to internal investigation. We must wait to see if there are any lessons to be learned. But it is important to recognize that the vast majority of victims of race hate crime are satisfied with the way they are treated by the Metropolitan police.

In a recent independent survey of victims of crime in London, 88% of victims of racially aggravated crime were satisfied with the way they were treated; 75% were satisfied with the time it took police to arrive; 88% agreed that they were dealt with sympathetically and 84% felt police had taken the matter seriously.

As an organization we are constantly striving to improve how we investigate hate crime. As part of a recent review of our response to hate crime we carried out an extensive consultation to take into account the views of victims, policy-makers, practitioners and other agencies to ensure that we provide the best possible service. At the core of this is finding ways of increasing trust in us to encourage more people to come forward.

The article reports that there is unwillingness by officers to properly record and investigate racist incidents. Of course we don't always get it right, but in the substantial majority of cases we provide a bespoke professional and effective service to our victims. Each London borough has a dedicated community safety unit, which is comprised of specially trained officers who investigate hate crime and provide support to victims. These 32 units are supported and monitored centrally to ensure officers deliver on performance, quality of investigations and victim care.

In 2004 we introduced new operating procedures for dealing with hate crimes, which ensured effective evidence-gathering by officers at all stages of the investigation. This led to an increase in prosecutions and more perpetrators than ever being held to account.

We have now enlisted a number of third-party agencies where the public can report hate crime should they not wish to speak directly to police. People can also report hate crime online. In addition, we have set up a free 24-hour helpline staffed by volunteers with language and other specialist skills.

Hate crime destroys lives and undermines communities. We well understand that our response affects the confidence of victims, families and communities in our ability to protect them from harm. Our determination, through working with and listening to all involved, is to respond professionally, compassionately and respectfully and ensure there is no hiding place for those who are motivated by hate.

Commander Steve Allen is head of the Metropolitan Police violent crime directorate new.scotland.yard@met.police.uk

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Source: Guardian, Aug 16, 2006

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