Awareness courses for racism, transphobia and other hate crimes scrapped by Hampshire police and crime commissioner

Hampshire's police and crime commissioner, Donna Jones, has announced that the county's police force will no longer offer educational sessions for hate crimes.

The two-hour sessions are paid for by the commissioner and have formed part of a restorative justice strategy. Mrs Jones has made this decision following the arrests of two men for posts they made on social media last month.

She said: 'As part of my response to the events of recent weeks and the police response in different police areas to images on social media, I have been reviewing the community resolution courses which my office commissions.

'I inherited a restorative justice contract when I was elected into office last year and the restorative hate crime awareness course was part of that.

'I have decided that this hate crime awareness course will no longer be offered in Hampshire and Isle of Wight by way of a community resolution option.'

Last month, two men were arrested for alleged offensive posts on social media, relating to a pride flag in the shape of a swastika.

A 51-year-old man from Aldershot was arrested on suspicion of sending by public communication network an offensive, indecent, obscene, menacing message or matter, and a 57-year-old man on suspicion of obstructing/resisting a constable in execution of duty.

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Mrs Jones has vowed that police will still take action on 'serious' incidents.

It is expected that this change will take a few weeks to implement across the force.

‘I want to be clear that when someone has been targeted and suffered violence or abuse because of their protected characteristics, and the incident reaches the evidential threshold for a hate crime, perpetrators can expect police action,' she said.

'This is vital. Other restorative justice and community resolution provision will still be in place for police to utilise for serious hate crimes and other incidents, but only where appropriate.'

The News has asked Mrs Jones if the goalposts for what constitutes a hate crime have shifted, and whether she agrees with Fareham MP Suella Braverman scrapping diversity and inclusion training in her department.