A new panel has been launched by Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews as part of his commitment to tackling hate crime effectively.
The Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel has been set up by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland PCC to scrutinise the investigation of hate crime incidents across the force area.
Recognising the strength of public feeling and concern around hate crime the PCC wanted to provide a platform to learn lessons from real cases to increase trust and confidence among victims and the public.
The Panel's independent members will work with the PCC and Leicestershire Police to identify ways to improve the investigation of hate crime incidents and enhance support for victims throughout the criminal justice journey.
Recorded hate crime has fallen by 18 per cent over the past 12 months. Although this appears positive, too many incidents are not reported, and this is something the Commissioner and the force are determined to change.
Members of the Panel will evaluate the handling of closed hate crime cases to provide constructive feedback at an organisational level, highlighting areas of good practice shown by officers as well as potential policy development for the future.
Mr Matthews said: "There is no place for hatred or discrimination in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. It will not be tolerated.
"We have seen firsthand how quickly tensions can escalate and threaten the safety of our people, leaving residents fearful of leaving their homes. It is vital these communities and all those who have suffered or are at risk of hate crime feel recognised. I want them to trust the police and prosecutors to do everything possible to protect them and bring those responsible to justice.
"This Panel will increase our understanding of how hate crimes impact the victims. This will help us to improve the way crimes are investigated and encourage more people to report their experiences in the future.
"It's disappointing that hate crime remains significantly under-reported and the learning points identified by the panel will help us to build confidence and trust to change that."
