POLICE are launching new centres and an online reporting method for victims of hate crime.

The Hate Incident Reporting Centres are voluntary centres that will accept reports for any hate crime incident.

The centres have been evaluated as places in which individuals feel safe and confident to report hate incidents or information. These include places such as Mencap and community centres.

There are 54 centres across the county which are designed to offer victims of hate crime a safe and comfortable environment in order to report a crime or intelligence.

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The centres are a rebrand of the previous Third Party Reporting Centres which, following an evaluation, were not found to be sufficient in meeting the needs of victims. 

As well as the rebrand, Police have launched a new online method of reporting hate crime incidents and intelligence. 

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

Chief Superintendent Steve Johnson said: “Hate crime can leave a lasting and damaging effect on its victims and it is a crime-type that we regularly evaluate in order to make sure victims have confidence in our procedures to deal with such incidents.

“Hate crime is historically under-reported and offering alternative methods to notify us of such incidents will hopefully bridge the gap to those victims who as yet have not accessed our services.”

Hate Incident Reporting Centres in South Cumbria:

Kendal

PCAS,
Westmorland General Hospital, Kendal

SLDC offices
South Lakeland House, Lowther Street, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 4UF

South Lakes Housing
Bridge Mills Business Centre, Stramongate, Kendal, LA9 4BD

Ulverston

South Lakes Housing
Town Hall, Queen Street, Ulverston, LA12 7AR

Windermere

Windermere CAB office:
1st Floor Windermere Library, Ellerthwaite Road, Windermere, LA23 2AJ

To report a hate crime online please visit www.cumbria.police.uk.