Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Not Addressed
Paragraph: 106
Police response to hate crime victims inconsistent, lacking respect and satisfaction with investigations.
Conclusion
However, we are concerned about the variability in police force responses at a local level: the commitment to tackling hate crime needs to be universal and consistent across the police service. We are also very concerned that the victims of hate crimes are less likely to feel that they are treated with respect by the police and less likely to be satisfied with the outcome of a police investigation than they are in other crimes. Twenty-eight years on from the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence, the Home Office and the NPCC need to ensure that the police today are taking clear action to support the victims of racist crimes properly.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges concerns about disproportionality in COVID-19 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) and notes ongoing data publication and an independent analysis commissioned by the NPCC. It commits to improving diversity and community relations but does not address the specific recommendation for clear action to properly support victims of racist crimes.
Paragraph Reference:
106
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The Government recognises concerns raised around disproportionality in the issuing of FPNs under the public health regulations in relation to Covid-19. The Government is also clear that nobody should be subject to police enforcement on the basis of race or any other protected characteristic. The NPCC routinely publishes data on Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued under COVID-19 regulations. The data includes a breakdown of the percentage of COVID-19 FPNs issued to different demographic groups. These reports show there are disparities across gender, age group and ethnicity in the issuing of FPNs. However, the varied nature of policing in disparate local contexts makes drawing definitive conclusions about disproportionality or comparisons between force areas challenging. As laid out in the Government’s response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ (JCHR) Fourteenth Report of Session 2019–21, The Government response to covid-19: fixed penalty notices, the NPCC has commissioned an independent analysis of FPNs issued to different demographic groups, the findings of which will be published in due course. The NPCC has also committed to an action plan examining how it can improve diversity across forces, to improving community relations, and to focussing on the use of powers. Throughout the pandemic, the Government has therefore conducted in-depth assessments of the impacts of proposed policies, including on groups with protected characteristics. These assessments helped to inform decision making. The Government also worked closely with policing partners to ensure that restrictions set out in the regulations were reasonably and lawfully enforced. The Home Office, NPCC and College of Policing should work together to identify the range of new policing technologies or measures for which national race equality assessments should be done or where new research and data gathering is needed to anticipate, monitor or swiftly address unjustified race disparities.