CPS London South hosts National Police Independent Hate Crime Advisory Group

As part of hate crime awareness week, a national group scrutinising how police can improve the way they tackle hate crime met in Petty France, with London South CCP Lionel Idan, hosting the meeting to discuss criminal justice responses to hate crime in his role as national CPS lead for hate crime.

The role of the Independent Advisory Group is to provide independent challenge, scrutiny and constructive feedback through the contribution of experts, including community leaders, which can be shared with police forces nationally.

The group is chaired by Mike Ainsworth from Stop Hate and its members include the NPCC lead for hate crime Mark Hamilton, as well as Neville Lawrence, father of Stephen Lawrence, who was killed in a racist attack in 1993. Other expert contributors include academics, victims and advocates such as Galop and Tell MAMA, who support communities.

"It was a pleasure to host the meeting of this Group who play such an important role in constructively challenging and advising the police on how they can improve their response to hate crime", said Lionel Idan. "We know that both within policing, and more widely across the criminal justice sector, we have not always met the needs of victims of these awful offences, and the work of this Group is as important today as it has ever been."

Picture (left to right): DCC Mark Hamilton (National Policing Lead for Hate Crime); Professor John Grieve CBE; Dr Neville Lawrence OBE; CCP Lionel Idan; Dr John Azah OBE; Paul Giannasi (national police advisor); Mike Ainsworth (Chair of IAG)