New community group set up to stamp out race crime

Wednesday 15 March 2017

A new community group has been set up to combat racial abuse in Jersey, after it emerged that 95% of hate crimes were racially motivated in 2016.

The response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request revealed that there were 22 racial incidents last year, continuing the trend of a year-on-year rise since 2013.

While 82% of hate crimes in 2015 were related to race – a figure in line with England and Wales – that figure rose to 95% last year.

All three incidents recorded so far this year have been of a racial nature.

The Police say they are now working to combat this as part of their 2017 Equality and Diversity Action Plan, which will see the creation of a new Community Consultative Group (CCG).

Source: States of Jersey

The group, they say, will see members work alongside the Police, Police Authority and Parish Honorary Police, and allow them to voice concerns specific to their own community’s experiences.

A Police spokesperson told Express: “As our island community becomes increasingly diverse, where culture, traditions, and local practices may vary from one community to another, community members are in the best position to identify what is needed to respond to their specific policing requirements.

“The Group will be the place where the community and police have the opportunity to share information and develop common understanding around issues of community safety and crime and disorder. It will be a relationship which is both supportive and challenging.”

Meetings have already been held with the newly-appointed Portuguese Consul and newly-formed Polish Society, which they hope will help to start forming the membership of the group.

Pictured: The Police meet Portuguese Consul Manuel da Silva. (Photo: Facebook/States of Jersey Police)

The inaugural meeting is now set to take place before the summer.