Hate crime charge figures show benefits of body-worn video

In one example, 7% of the 4,636 hate crimes recorded by the West Midlands Police in the year ending March 2020 involved a police victim. Police were the victims in 43% of the 711 hate crimes charged in the force area that year. However, these statistics also represent a positive culture change. It’s encouraging that officers and staff are becoming more willing to report such crimes whereas historically they were reluctant to do so.

Police forces have suggested that the increased use of body-worn cameras by officers may mean evidence of hate crimes against them is more easily captured.

Incredibly damaging

Reacting to the findings, John Apter (national chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales) commented: “Hate crimes are incredibly damaging and can have long-lasting psychological effects on victims. As a service, we’ve taken huge strides in the way we identify, record, investigate and support the victims of hate crimes and have been working with local chief constables to ensure that all assaults on officers and staff are also recorded properly.”

Apter continued: “It’s wrong to suggest the police service prioritises victims who work for the force over members of the public. With more officers adding body-worn video cameras to their toolbelt, the figures strongly demonstrate how effective this kit is at protecting our members.”

Further, Apter stated: “Body-worn video is an essential piece of kit and should be made available to all front line officers. Having cameras to hand increases the transparency of policing. Any footage recorded can be subsequently reviewed, scrutinised and submitted as evidence, making officers as well as offenders that much more accountable for their actions.”

Accurate and consistent monitoring

Instances of sexual assault and hate crime against police officers and staff are likely to be under-reported and under-investigated. Therefore, the Federation has been pushing for more accurate and consistent monitoring of hate crimes against members.

This was recognised in the National Police Chiefs Council’s Officer and Staff Safety Review published last year which also included a recommendation that hate crimes should be treated as aggravated offences under the Assaults on Emergency Service Workers Act.

Apter concluded: “The Police Federation will continue to work towards consistency of monitoring and greater support for victims of hate crime across all forces. The organisation is wholly committed to working with key stakeholders to ensure police officers are better supported by the police service as a whole and the criminal justice system. It’s imperative that the police service is a working environment in which everyone feels valued and has equal opportunities. Hate is never acceptable. We will continue to work every day to create a better and more inclusive and supportive police service.”