Schoolchildren create posters to raise awareness of hate crime

A winning piece was selected by the Chief Constable Michelle Skeer.

The winning poster and others will be shared on the force’s social media channels alongside key information on what a hate crime is, highlighting the impact on victims, encouraging reporting as well as promoting local support services and resources.

Hate crimes are any crimes that are targeted at a person because of hostility or prejudice towards their disability, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Crimes include physical attacks, verbal abuse, damage to property, bullying and threats, abusive gestures and offensive letters, leaflets, emails and texts.

Hate Crime lead for Cumbria police, Detective Chief Inspector Matt Scott, said: “We know the devastating impact that hate crimes can have on individuals, their family and the local community.

“There is absolutely no excuse for any form of hate crime, and it will not be tolerated.

“I hope the posters produced by our local school children help to educate the public and encourage people to report incidents to us so we can take action.

“We take all hate crime reports seriously and encourage those that have been a victim or have witnessed this type of crime to get in touch with police and report it.

"All reports are taken seriously and are duly investigated by officers.

“We know that contacting us may feel daunting, we recognise this.

"If you do not feel you are able to ring us for any reason please to talk to someone you trust, or contact Victim Support, Cumbria Together or report a crime anonymously through the True Vision website.

Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall, said: “Hate Crime is completely unacceptable, no one should be made to feel threatened, anxious or less-than based on their race, gender, religion, disability or sexual orientation.

“Cumbria strives to be a welcoming county for everyone, and we need to work together, as a community, to make this a reality.

“I would urge anyone who has been the victim of a hate crime to report it to 101 or 999 in an emergency.

“Let’s work together to make Cumbria as safer place to live, work and visit.”

A spokesperson from Free Radicals, a recently established community organisation in Carlisle that works to raise awareness of equality issues, responded: "Although we appreciate Cumbria Constabulary engaging with children to raise awareness of hate crime, we feel it falls short of the constructive action needed to really tackle hate crime problems in Cumbria.

"Myself and many other young people who have come to Free Radicals, have reported repeated harassment based on our sexual orientation from members of evangelical churches across the region only to be told there is nothing they can do.

"As an organisation we have been reporting hate incidents and raising awareness of how to report hate crimes for several months.

"We have found that in almost every instance the incidents are reported but the victims are later told that the police cannot do anything to bring the perpetrator to justice.

"We would suggest the larger issue here is not public awareness but police lacking the relevant powers to take action.

"We also find it incredible that PCC Peter McCall should comment on 'working together' when we have been trying to work with him to tackle hate crimes in Carlisle now for almost two months and have yet to receive any constructive response other than a letter to tell us he will not attend a public meeting on hate crime.

"We would suggest Cumbria Constabulary and Peter McCall focus more on engaging with the communities being affected by hate directly and in a constructive and transparent manner if they are serious about improving their record on hate incidents."

In response to this criticism of the campaign, Hate Crime lead for Cumbria Police, Detective Chief Inspector Matt Scott, gave more information into what the police is doing to tackle hate crime

He said: “There is absolutely no excuse for any form of hate, and it will not be tolerated in Cumbria.

“We would encourage anyone who is victim to a either a hate incident or hate crime to contact police.

“We understand hate incidents can be just as distressing as a hate crime.

"It’s important to report incidents to us, as it could escalate to a hate crime such as harassment following a series of incidents.

“When we receive a hate incident report an assessment is carried out by a sergeant within our control room and actions will then be set to our local focus team sergeant.

“They will review any safeguarding, identify any patterns, contact the person affected and signpost to the relevant support.

"If appropriate the relevant partner agencies and community leaders will be made aware.

“The local focus inspector will also review a hate incidents once finalised and make contact with the individual is appropriate.

“When we receive a hate crime report, it is graded as a priority and reviewed by a sergeant within our control room, an officer will then be dispatched under direct supervision of a sergeant.

“The crime will also be reviewed by a specially trained hate crime sergeant.

"If the case is finalised with no further action, there will be a final review by a specialist hate crime Inspector to ensure there no opportunity of progressing the matter to court.

“Throughout any hate incident or crime there will be signposting and referrals where appropriate to support agencies as well as victim support.

“In the run up to hate crime awareness week our neighbourhood policing teams went into schools to educate young people on the subject and help support our wider campaign to educate people in Cumbria.

“The Constabulary is proactive in its communication with the public, attending community events such as pride, working with Independent advisory groups, and continue to have strong working relationships with our communities.

“We also attend CPS focus groups around hate crime convictions which involves members of the community who talk about their experience.”