“ I am now aware of the true impact of hate crime on victims ”: the importance of hate crime training for police officers and other frontline staff

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness and challenges of hate crime training for police, city council and other partner employees in Nottingham, United Kingdom. The paper considers the value of the “hate crime champions” training, based on the perceptions and experiences of police, Nottingham City Council and other partner employees who attended this training. Design/methodology/approach This study utilised a pre- and after-training survey with 159 training attendees to measure the effectiveness of the training. Findings Results show that participants’ knowledge and confidence had improved, and they had a better understanding of the impact of hate crime and how they might address it. Originality/value Amid growing social fragmentation and marginalisation, vulnerable communities are increasingly subjected to hate crimes, both in physical spaces and across digital platforms. Yet, existing evidence shows that hate crimes are significantly under-reported and under-recorded in comparison to non-hate-motivated offences. Despite increased attention to the policing of hate crimes, little is known about the impact of professional police training – an important factor that can directly shape how hate crimes are reported and recorded by officers and other frontline staff. This article directly addresses this gap in the literature.