A POLICE boss has given his backing to an ongoing initiative tackling hate crimes.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week runs from October 14 to 21 across the UK, with the aim of shining a light on the scourge of hate crime. 

The campaign, founded in 2009, encourages Government, the Police, local councils, charities, and communities affected by hate incidents to work together to tackle hate crimes.

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Andy Dunbobbin has given the campaign his full backing and is taking part in a series of events to mark the week and to engage with different communities across the region affected by hate crime.

Those events include an event on ‘Understanding Hate Crime and Vulnerability in North Wales’, speaking to Professional Policing degree students at Wrexham University about the role of the police in challenging Hate Crime and visiting Hawarden High School alongside the Cyber Crime team of North Wales Police to speak to students, highlighting hate crime online and young people’s experiences of these types of offences - among others.

Mr Dunbobbin said: “Hate Crime Awareness Week is a crucial way of highlighting the damage that hate can inflict on communities and I would encourage anyone who has suffered a hate incident to report it, so we can act on it. 

"Hate crime particularly affects disabled people, black and minority ethnic people and LGBTQ+ people and, while this week’s campaign only lasts seven days, the wider campaign to challenge Hate Crime lasts all year. 

"I am determined to see a North Wales where Hate Crime has no place.”

PC Richard Fishlock, Diversity Officer/Hate Crime Officer in North Wales Police’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Team said: “North Wales Police are committed to supporting victims of hate crime which we do alongside our partners at Victim Support and other support services. 

"It is also important to remember that North Wales Police will do all we can to tackle offenders and offending behaviour. 

"We take hate crime seriously and do everything in our power to ensure offenders are held accountable and brought to justice.”

A hate incident is one in which the victim, or anyone else, thinks is based on someone’s prejudice towards them because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or because they are transgender.

If you need to report a hate crime you can contact North Wales Police by calling 101 (if you are in North Wales) or for information on other ways to report (including third party and anonymous reporting) go to the North Wales Police website. 

Further information about hate crime can be found on the equality pages of the Force website. Reports can be made to police via third party reporting agencies like Victim Support. These agencies assist those who would prefer not to deal directly with police.