Port of Tilbury-Police Constable

[Fedster + 1,307]

South Yorkshire Police accused of undermining case for increased funding for police and threatening freedom of expression.

Chief Constable Stephen Watson

Date - 12th September 2018
By - Ian Weinfass - Police Oracle

2 Comments

 

A chief constable has staunchly defended his force’s appeal for members of the public to report “non-crime hate incidents”.

South Yorkshire Police has faced a backlash in the media and online after it appealed for reports of things such as "insulting comments".

It posted on Twitter: “In addition to reporting hate crime, please report non-crime hate incidents, which can include things like offensive or insulting comments, online, in person or in writing. Hate will not be tolerated in South Yorkshire. Report it and put a stop to it.”

 

The comment, posted a day before the National Audit Office report on police finance was released and the Police Superintendents’ Association of England and Wales held its annual conference and discussed the pressure of cuts, received dozens of responses questioning the rationale behind the appeal.

National media also criticised the force for making the statement, with at least one editorial pointing out that police claims of chronic under-funding are undermined by claims that non-crime incidents should be reported.

Critics included anti-extremism campaigner Maajid Nawaz and Ukip MEP Patrick O’Flynn, who questioned whether the force was trying to clamp down on freedom of expression.

But in a statement Chief Constable Stephen Watson said the force was trying to reassure its communities after racist comments followed a stabbing in Barnsley.

He added: “This appears to have been deliberately misconstrued and manipulated by some media outlets and individuals on social media to misleadingly suggest that we are encouraging people to report any incident that causes insult. This is not the case.

“Social commentary about drivers cutting up one another on roads, or people being insulted due to opposing views at a football game, is misleading and incredibly unhelpful.

“We encourage reporting of hate incidents much the same as we encourage victims of domestic abuse to report incidents to us, or communities feeling beset by antisocial behaviour to report incidents to us.

“Not all of those incidents reported to us are crimes, nor will they receive a police response, but it gives us (and our partner agencies) a good indication of what’s happening in our communities and directs our preventative, proactive police work to try and stop crimes from happening in the first place.”

He added the force follows national policy on the issue.

College of Policing guidance does point out police are likely to face a backlash from such efforts.

Former police officer turned commentator Graham Wettone told Police Oracle: “The statement seems bizarre and out of sync with its timing. South Yorkshire Police is struggling like several other forces with funding and an ability to investigate.

“It is almost makes it sound like the ‘victim’ is always right. I think I get what they’re saying in that they don’t want people to be afraid to report, but I don’t think it was delivered in the right way.”

Rick Muir, director of the Police Foundation think tank, said the force is following College of Policing guidance from 2014 which encourages collecting non-crime hate information.

“The purpose is to collect intelligence on community tension, it may not be a crime but may become an issue.

“I think it’s justified because there may be an escalation. Nobody is going to be prosecuted, nothing is going to happen to someone if they say something and it is not a crime but police may record it. That doesn't take up any significant resource.”

He added that the law is unclear for both police and the public on what constitutes hate crime and what does not.

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[Radman + 2,163]

I think he needs to be prioritising the sharp rise in murders, knife crime and the chronic spice/asb issues that blight the county's towns and city if I'm being totally honest.... 

Edited September 15, 2018 by Radman

[Mac7 808]

I’m struggling to comprehend what a non crime hate incident is. Does anyone have a definition? Does this encroach on freedom of expression etc?

 

If the COP want this information then surely there are other ways of going about it rather then burdening a police force with it. And to say it won’t take up significant resources is laughable.

 

We don’t live in a police state whereby our thoughts and movements are controlled. This, in my opinion, is a move in that direction.

 

 

[David + 4,981]

1 hour ago, Mac7 said:

We don’t live in a police state whereby our thoughts and movements are controlled.

Yet.

[Reasonable Man + 1,231]

I’m struggling to comprehend what a non crime hate incident is. Does anyone have a definition? Does this encroach on freedom of expression etc?

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/hate-crime/what-are-hate-incidents-and-hate-crime/

[Zulu 22 + 4,574]

The last thing that we need is loopy idea's like this.

[Zulu 22 + 4,574]

The tweet was quite clear in its stupidity. We do not need comments or tweets like that. We do not need a Thought Police state

 

[David + 4,981]

I'm wondering if it is because stuff like this is 'easy target' crime?

[Reasonable Man + 1,231]

The last thing that we need is loopy idea's like this.

Let’s go back to the golden years of the 70s. Bring back the funny guys like Bernard Manning and Jim Davidson. Great sitcoms like Love Your Neighbour.
Paddy was thick, Jock was tight fisted. Blacks could be cleaners or bus conductors, if they were lucky. No one in their right mind would employ a disabled person and women shouldn’t have men’s jobs.
Those who didn’t like the way it was were just looking to be insulted.

[Reasonable Man + 1,231]

I'm wondering if it is because stuff like this is 'easy target' crime?

Incidents do not amount to crimes - if they did they would be crimes. This is for anti social behaviour or people being discriminated against, making their lives a misery just because they are different from those targeting them.

[Hyphen + 693]

24 minutes ago, Reasonable Man said:

Incidents do not amount to crimes - if they did they would be crimes. This is for anti social behaviour or people being discriminated against, making their lives a misery just because they are different from those targeting them.

Then it would be crime from what is described above.

[Radman + 2,163]

54 minutes ago, Reasonable Man said:

Incidents do not amount to crimes - if they did they would be crimes. This is for anti social behaviour or people being discriminated against, making their lives a misery just because they are different from those targeting them.

That would be a crime.

[Mac7 808]

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/hate-crime/what-are-hate-incidents-and-hate-crime/

That isn’t a non crime hate incident.

The other examples you give are covered by specific civil legislation as well as criminal legislation.

[IrateShrike + 1,847]

4 hours ago, Mac7 said:

I’m struggling to comprehend what a non crime hate incident is. Does anyone have a definition? Does this encroach on freedom of expression etc?

It's because any incident should be recorded as a hate incident if it is perceived as hate by the victim or any other person.

It speaks for itself that this is only serves to dilute the seriousness of actual hate crimes.

[Reasonable Man + 1,231]

There are hate crimes - notifiable offences - and then there are incidents that do not amount to hate crimes. There may be civil redress for some of them but they’re not classed as hate crimes.
A gay couple are refused a room at a guest house. They believe because they are gay. It’s not a criminal offence but it’s a hate incident.