NEWS
1,240 hate crimes against officers over the past three years. “These are people who put themselves on the line for our communities. Officers are facing abhorrent levels of abuse,” he stated. Cleveland Police
we can build a safer and more supportive environment for everyone.” The campaign is urging officers
Federation Chair Lauren Somerville said racially, and religiously aggravated assaults carried an “extra layer of hatred”. She said: “Officers are being assaulted every day. These assaults are motivated by hate and become so much more personal.” Lauren stressed forces needed to improve how they supported officers targeted because of characteristics “fundamental to who they are”. Dorset Police Federation Chair Chris
Wood said: “We are proud to be the first force in the south to get behind this campaign.” He highlighted Dorset recorded only six hate crimes against officers last year but noted the force had low numbers of ethnically diverse officers. “Any incidents of racist abuse are too many,” he said. Chris added legislative change would be “the right thing to do”. Police Federation National Chair Tiff
Lynch said the impact of racist abuse on officers should not be underestimated. She said: “The issue is not just the number of incidents; it is the personal impact. Hate motivated abuse cuts deep and attacks an officer’s identity. Officers need to know their forces and colleagues are behind them. Targeted abuse is never acceptable and must never be treated as part of the job. Racism has no place in policing. By standing together and reporting incidents,
“By standing together and reporting incidents, we can build a safer and more supportive environment for everyone.”
to report all incidents of racist or religiously motivated abuse, as it is vital for helping forces understand the scale of the problem. Accurate data is essential for improving welfare support, identifying patterns of targeted abuse and strengthening the national stance against discrimination. The Stop Racism Against Police
campaign will continue to gather evidence, raise awareness and press for changes in how forces record and respond to hate crime against officers. The aim is to ensure every officer, regardless of background, can carry out their duties without fear of racist hostility. The National Police Wellbeing Service, through Operation Hampshire, has also urged officers to report all incidents of hate crime and assault. Operation Hampshire Lead Dave Brewster said: “Op Hampshire is about providing a meaningful response when colleagues are victims of crime. Being assaulted and abused is not part of your job.” Dave warned failing to report incidents risked “undermining the issue” and losing vital evidence. He added: “My advice to anyone who has been assaulted or abused is to
immediately inform a supervisor to ensure it is correctly and appropriately captured. These incidents affect people in different ways, we all have our own experiences and there is not a one size fits all answer, so you may want to also understand whether there is any peer support available to talk through it.” The National Police
Wellbeing Service (Oscar Kilo) provides clear national
guidance on recognising, recording and responding to hate crime against officers and staff. It is important that everyone takes a moment to read this guidance and understands what support is available. Reporting helps ensure that:
• Incidents are recorded accurately
• Patterns of targeted abuse are identified early
• Colleagues receive the welfare support they need
• Our collective stance against racism and discrimination is strengthened
Read it on the Oscar Kilo website:
www.oscarkilo.org.uk/op-hampshire- hate-crime-response-guidance
07 | POLICE | JUNE | 2026
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