London Borough of Tower Hamlets Tackling hate crime

Strategic Priorities Community Plan themes– One Tower Hamlets & Safe & Supportive Community (Councils No Place for Hate Campaign) -Tackling and preventing crime, empowerment & early intervention -Challenging prejudice and making Tower Hamlets “no place for hate” -Reducing fear of crime Community Safety Partnership and sub-groups Prevent Board, TMG, NPFHF and Cohesion Working Group Children and Young People Plan and Cohesion duties Equalities legislation and duties to tackle discrimination and bullying Community Cohesion duty Preventing Violent Extremism Agenda on Prevent strand Safeguarding duty

Aims of No Place for Hate Forum NPFHF was the first body established in the borough (formerly RHIAF created in 1999) to create a cohesive borough. Brings agencies together to make Tower Hamlets a better place to live, work and visit by developing and promoting a co-ordinated response to hate crime that: protects and supports victims deters perpetrators challenges prejudice and hate and contributes to creating a safer, more cohesive community.

Support and Protection Encouraging and enabling reporting Range of reporting options available (online, Police, landlords, national charity lines) Third Party Reporting centres Victim support services Two specialist Hate Crime Workers Researching needs NPFH Evaluation Report and Recommendations Staff Training Training for anyone who lives and works in the borough

Investigation and Enforcement 100% investigation of reported crimes Police sanction detection rate targets Legislative tools Hate Incidents Panel and range of tools and tactics available Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers and RSL policies School based Police Officers and teachers Anti bullying policies and reporting mechanisms

Prevention, awareness and community cohesion No Place for Hate LWOP Award for best partnership forum in bringing positive change and promoting peace Invitation to Downing Street Campaign materials Outreach activities NPFH Adult Champions and Youth Service Champions Schools NPFH Pledge Local media profile and NPFH Communications Strategy

No Place for Hate Pledge Strengthens NPFH Campaign and cohesion messages Public condemnation of hate Venue hire condition embedded in pledge further to TMG recommendation Promoting stronger partnership stand Encourage all to unite and pledge Places responsibility on all to be proactive To challenge prejudices in self & others To instill community confidence and cohesion Youth No Place for Hate Pledge

Brexit and the impact in the community Challenges Consistently one of highest levels of hate in London One form of hate escalating to another form Brexit and the impact in the community Far Right Threats/ Disorder Tackling under reporting RSL’s to have HC policies, recording HC and to be more engaged with strategic priorities Increasing Hate Crime prosecutions No national indicator to use as leverage Tackling fear of crime Addressing public perception that hate crime not taken seriously Encouraging all agencies to be pro active in tackling/reporting/recording hate Minimising potential for one form of hate to escalate to another form of hate One incident undoes good work and relations Maintaining partnership commitment and co-operation

What can you do? Partnership/joint work (THNPFHF and referrals to HIP) Incorporate hate crime into ASB minimum standards Ensure robust hate crime policies/procedures/tenancy agreement Monitoring and performance management Publish policies and procedures Train and support staff to respond appropriately Encourage and enable reporting Protection and support for victims (target hardening, signposting, referral) Increase enforcement action Challenge discriminatory behaviour if it is safe to do so HR and H&S procedures to protect and support staff who are victims Prevention – tenancy conditions, designing out crime, estate patrols, diversion schemes, community cohesion work Sign the organisational No Place for Hate Pledge Display hate crime literature and posters Become a NPFH Champion

Recommendations Strengthened partnership working across agencies and a more joined up response. Tackling hate crime should be everyone’s priority Increased engagement with young people Using Pledge to further embed good practice Increase in enforcement and prosecutions on perpetrators Movement from focus on number of reports to ensuring quality of service Stronger communications strategy and reinforcing NPFH campaign and messages through all TMG members