Op Hampshire: Hate crime response guidance

Guidance for initial incident supervisors:

Supervisors should be pro-active and conduct an early wellbeing assessment for all incidents.  In addition to the Initial Wellbeing Assessment guidance, supervisors should also consider:

• The assessment should explicitly consider traumas related to hate abuse which should include cumulative harm. 
• Supervisors should recognise potential barriers to reporting amongst colleagues e.g. black colleagues may be more likely to have a fear of being dismissed or negatively judged
• Consider the effects of prolonged operational exposure. This is particularly relevant in roles such as custody and detention where offenders and victims might be in close proximity for extended periods.
• Understand lived experience of the victim and cultural context
• Know when to seek specialist advice or escalate concerns.
• Treat support for victims as a core leadership duty, not an optional or delegated task.
• Be mindful that evidence shows that hate crime often has a wider impact than just on the immediate victim.
• Early reassurance is provided so that all protected characteristic‑based victimisation (e.g. race, disability‑related, homophobic, transphobic, faith‑based) is taken seriously and not “part of the job”.
• Victims should be offered culturally competent support, with lived experience support (e.g., staff networks, federation/unions, peer supporters, external organisations like Black Police Association groups).
• In supervising crime reports, ensure Hate crime indicators are identified and recorded early (e.g., racial language, targeted behaviour, repeat victimisation).

This guidance should be used in conjunction with our Op Hampshire Initial supervisors guidance

Advice for secondary supervisors:

• Confirm initial assessment of the severity and meaning of words or gestures used and the impact as perceived by the victim.
• Ensure Hate crime incidents are escalated to senior leaders as standard
• Leadership style is intrusively supportive, recognising that hate crime harm may not always be immediately visible.
• Ensure appropriate oversight is established to avoid minimisation or bias
• Hate Crime motivated incidents might trigger the need for additional welfare checks and where appropriate, trauma support pathways.
• Be mindful of the context with any hate crime incidents, refer to staff associations or support that is specific to the hate category.

This guidance should be used in conjunction with our Op Hampshire Inspectors and secondary supervisors guidance

Guidance for investigating officers:

• Identify and record the hate crime element at the earliest opportunity.
• Consider the victims welfare and victim status.
• Recognise the risk of repeat hate crime victimisation and escalate patterns promptly.
• Seek specialist advice where required (e.g. hate crime units, staff associations).
• Consider the unique impact of hate crimes/abuse  when developing Victim Personal Statements.
• Stand together, take the approach that any attack or abuse against a colleague is an assault on us all. It is not and should never be acceptable. Be mindful of any specific nuances e.g. race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, sex, age, pregnancy and maternity, and marriage or civil partnership.

This guidance should be used in conjunction with our Op Hampshire investigating officers guidance

Advice for welfare officers and peer supporters:

• Consider the impact on family and community relationships, especially with hate crime incidents e.g. with a racial hate crime, think of the impact on wider communities and perhaps already distrusting relationships.
• Acknowledgement of any hate related trauma and its cumulative impact
• Consider tailoring the wellbeing response and signposting the victim to support that is specific to them. This could be through Oscar Kilo and the range of wellbeing and resilience options. The federation or union or via one of your local staff associations for support. This should always be the case with hate crime incidents. Signposting to culturally competent support networks internally and externally, with lived experience support.
• Strengthen language regarding early identification of hate crime indicators.
• Include prompts around discussing hate related harm sensitively and appropriately.
• Encourage leaders to challenge dismissive attitudes such as minimising hate crime abuse or describing it as “part of the job”.
• Embed expectations that staff must record all hate crime or hate related elements.

This guidance should be used in conjunction with our Op Hampshire welfare officers guidance