Police Leaders to Recommend Ending Recording of Non-Crime Hate Incidents
Police leaders are set to recommend scrapping the recording of non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) in a review scheduled for publication next month. Lord Herbert, chair of the College of Policing, supports focusing efforts on the most serious incidents to better balance policing in the age of social media.
Non-crime hate incidents refer to acts motivated by hostility toward certain characteristics that do not meet the threshold of a criminal offence but are still recorded by police and can appear on background checks. The original Home Office guidance on NCHIs dates back to 2005, following the Stephen Lawrence inquiry, and was intended to collect data on hate incidents that might escalate.
However, critics argue that NCHIs divert police resources and can restrict freedom of speech. The rise of social media has further complicated policing as it involves online disputes. Rachel Swann, vice-chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council, emphasizes that policing should not act as referees in online cultural debates, stating ministers will decide on future policy while police focus on real-world risk.
In October, the Metropolitan Police announced it would stop investigating NCHIs, concentrating resources on matters that meet the criminal threshold. The policing watchdog has also called on forces to cease recording NCHIs. The Telegraph reported that since 2014, 43 forces in England and Wales have recorded over 133,000 NCHIs.
The Home Secretary will make the final decision on whether to adopt the recommendations, with the Home Office aiming for a consistent approach that protects free speech but refraining from pre-empting the review's findings.
