feedback report to the government concerning hate crimes · upprättad av datum diarienr saknr...

2017-02-27

Feedback report to the Government concerning hate crimes

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Upprättad av Datum Diarienr Saknr Version

Eva Sund 2017-02-27 A022.605/2017 426 01.00

CONTENTS

1 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................ 3

2 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................ 3

3 THE COMMISSION ................................................................................................................. 4

4 WORKING METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................. 4

5 RESULTS OF IMPLEMENTED MEASURES ...................................................................... 5

5.1 The police regions of Stockholm, West and South ........................................................... 5 5.2 Other police regions .......................................................................................................... 6 5.3 National department .......................................................................................................... 6

5.3.1 Department of National Operations (NOA) ............................................................................. 6 5.3.1.1 Development Centre in Stockholm .................................................................. 6 5.3.1.2 National Contact Unit ...................................................................................... 6 5.3.1.3 Intelligence Unit ............................................................................................... 7 5.3.1.4 Investigative Unit ............................................................................................. 7

5.3.2 Human Resources Department ................................................................................................ 7 5.3.3 Information Technology Department ....................................................................................... 7 5.3.4 Communications Department/Swedish Police Museum .......................................................... 7

5.4 Internal Audit .................................................................................................................... 8

6 REASONING REGARDING THE EFFECTS ....................................................................... 8

7 THE WORK AHEAD ............................................................................................................... 9

Appendices

1. Compilation of implemented measures

2. Decision record regarding the measures’ implementation

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1 Summary

Since the last feedback report concerning hate crimes was submitted to the Government

in March 2015, the police have been working to increase its capacity in this area. This

has been done through a number of decisions by the police command, a strategic initia-

tive and an implementation project. Implemented measures are presented in more detail

in Appendix 1.

The police has cooperated with the Swedish Prosecution Authority, the Swedish Securi-

ty Service, the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, the Swedish Crime Vic-

tim Compensation and Support Authority and the Chancellor of Justice with a view to

creating a common ground for cooperation against hate crimes and to protect fundamen-

tal rights and freedoms. A joint conference on the theme agitation against an ethnic

group was held in October 2016.

The police Development Centre in Stockholm has a continuing responsibility to monitor

and develop the work to combat hate crimes. The police regions are responsible for the

allocation of resources relating to hate crime investigation and for cooperation with lo-

cal communities.

In the police regions of Stockholm, West and South there are specific investigation units

to combat hate crime and to ensure the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.

Other police regions have put part of their staff through professional development train-

ing in this area. In this way, they have increased their ability to identify and investigate

hate crimes. The crime victim and personal security division assumes primary responsi-

bility for the support and protection of victims of crime, including victims of hate crime.

It collaborates with hate crime investigators in the police regions. A national network of

contacts within the police force has been created in this area, coordinated by the Devel-

opment Centre in Stockholm. In this way, hate crime work within the police is continu-

ously monitored.

National training in the form of recurrent programmes has taken place concerning hate

crime. These programmes will continue to run in the coming years. An interactive train-

ing programme is under development. It is intended to disseminate information to all

police staff who receive reports and who investigate or take action against hate crimes.

Overall, the police’s assessment is that it is still too early to comment on the effect with

regard to the increased ability to investigate hate crimes. The measures taken must be

given time to work and the knowledge regarding hate crime needs to be disseminated

further, both within the police organisation and externally. The feedback received from

groups vulnerable to hate crimes as well as journalists has been positive in terms of the

perception that the police are now engaged in an initiative in this area.

2 Background

In March 2014 the Government commissioned the National Police Board at the time to

develop efforts to combat hate crime (Ju2014/1684/PO). The commission could be

summarised in three main points:

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1 To consult with the Swedish Prosecution Authority and the Swedish National

Council for Crime Prevention in order to establish a uniform practical application

of the term hate crime.

2 To strengthen awareness of hate crime within the police force and to become better

at identifying and investigating these crimes in order to successfully prosecute such

offences. The initial investigative measures by the police are of particular

importance in terms of the ability to investigate hate crimes.

3 To increase confidence in the police among the vulnerable groups in question,

especially regarding the police’s ability to deal with hate crimes.

The results were presented by the police in March 2015 through a written report1 by the

National Police Commissioner to the Minister for Home Affairs. The presentation was

followed by press questions. The Commissioner noted that there was still work to be

done within the areas under points two and three in order to further enhance the ability

of the police in this area.

3 The commission

In the appropriation directions for the Police Authority in 2016, the Government gave

the police the following commission:

The Police Authority shall report on the measures taken as a result of the commission to

develop efforts to combat hate crime. The requirement of a feedback report includes

conducting a line of reasoning regarding the effects the measures are considered to

have led to or could lead to. Furthermore, the report is to include a description of how

the authority intends to continue developing efforts to combat hate crime. The report is

to be submitted on 1 March 2017.

4 Working method for implementation

On 30 April 2015 the National Police Commissioner pronounced a strategic decision2

with regard to the police increasing its capacity to combat hate crimes and protect fun-

damental rights and freedoms. The decision outlined a number of intermediate goals for

the work. Responsibility for the implementation was delegated3 to the Department of

National Operations. At the same time, the police introduced a strategic initiative con-

cerning fundamental rights and freedoms.

After a planning phase, an implementation project commenced in June 2015 to ensure

that the National Police Commissioner’s decision was translated into practical action.

The project was led from the Development Centre in Stockholm. In the project organi-

sation, the police regions’ interests were safeguarded through regional implementation

managers being appointed. The regional implementation managers have also functioned

as a project and reference group. The progress of the work has continuously been re-

ported to the National Police Commissioner, inter alia, through two written reports. The

project was completed on 30 June 2016 and the implementation work progressed into

administration. A supplementary decision4 regarding the allocation of responsibilities

1 Polisen A121.608/14 case number 426

2 Decision record 8/15



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within the authority was made by the head of development at the Department of Nation-

al Operations when the project ended.

Collaboration with other authorities has been continually pursued. Among others, the

police invited the Swedish Security Service, the Swedish Prosecution Authority, the

Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, the Swedish Crime Victim Compensa-

tion and Support Authority and the Chancellor of Justice to a hate crime conference on

the theme agitation against an ethnic group in October 2016. The aim was to create a

network of contacts and provide a common basis for how authorities can work together

to combat hate crime and to protect fundamental rights and freedoms.

The Development Centre in Stockholm has a continuing responsibility to monitor and

develop the work to combat hate crime and to protect fundamental rights and freedoms.

The police regions are responsible for the allocation of resources relating to hate crime

investigation and for cooperation with local communities.

5 Results of implemented measures

Measures taken by the police to increase its capacity to combat hate crimes are de-

scribed in more detail in Appendix 1. This section presents a broad outline of how the

police organisation concerning hate crime operates today, following the completion of

the implementation project to increase capacity.

5.1 The police regions of Stockholm, West and South

In the police regions of Stockholm, West and South there are specific investigation units

responsible for investigating hate crimes and offences that threaten fundamental rights

and freedoms (internally referred to as democracy crime). In Stockholm and the West

region, the unit is found at the regional level, while in the South region it is located in

the local police district North Malmö. Each unit comprises around ten people and is led

by a unit head. The main mission of the units is to investigate democracy and hate

crimes. They can be utilised for other investigations when such a priority is deemed

necessary. This has meant that some hate crime cases have been left hanging in the bal-

ance, which is not optimal. This prioritisation has been made in light of the current

workload falling on the investigation activities in respect of serious violent crimes.

Besides investigating hate crimes, the democracy and hate crime units work with confi-

dence-building measures in the form of consultation meetings with vulnerable groups.

In the West, a hate crime council has been established where representatives of vulnera-

ble groups regularly meet with the police. The council is led by the Regional Police

Chief. In the South region, there are two designated coordinators with the task of creat-

ing contacts and building confidence among minority groups and religious communi-

ties.

The units also provide assistance to the local police districts and the police contact cen-

tres through training programmes at the regional and local level. Furthermore, all three

democracy and hate crime units have contributed with staff and expertise to the imple-

mentation of the national police hate crime training programmes. Stockholm and the

South region have also provided international assistance to training initiatives within

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Europe.5 The metropolitan regions also provide support to other police regions, when

such is requested.

5.2 Other police regions

The North, East, Bergslagen and Central police regions have put part of their staff

through professional development training concerning hate crimes. In this way, they

have increased their ability to identify and investigate hate crimes. In Bergslagen, about

forty so-called Ambassadors have received regional training. The aim has been to dis-

seminate this knowledge down the line to the operational staff. Bergslagen and the

North region have also conducted training on hate crimes for staff at police contact cen-

tres in each region.

The North region has arranged a crime victim conference for 200 participants, with a

focus on hate crimes.

Incoming cases are allocated in accordance with the national crime directory, which

means that hate crimes are usually investigated at the local police district level. In the

North region, each local police district has assigned investigators with specific respon-

sibility for the issue.

The regional implementation managers, who were linked to the implementation project,

have continued to serve as national contact persons after project completion. The con-

tact persons have monthly meetings coordinated by the Development Centre in Stock-

holm.

5.3 National department

5.3.1 Department of National Operations (NOA)

5.3.1.1 Development Centre in Stockholm

The Development Centre in Stockholm has national responsibility for steering, develop-

ing and monitoring the work process regarding hate crimes and the protection of fun-

damental rights and freedoms, and ensuring consistency in this regard in the police re-

gions. This responsibility does not encompass staff outside its own organisational unit.

Among others, the Development Centre in Stockholm coordinates the national forum

for contact persons from all police regions and holds the national consultation forums

established for hate crimes.

5.3.1.2 National Contact Unit

The National Contact Unit is responsible for creating the conditions for and contributing

to a nationally consistent approach at the police regional contact centres6. The Devel-

opment Centre in Stockholm has collaborated with the unit to improve competence re-

garding hate crimes. During 2017, a training programme on hate crimes is planned for

the staff of the police contact centres.

5 Stockholm through assisting CEPOL, South through assisting ODIHR

6 The police contact centres receive police reports via 11414 and the internet.

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5.3.1.3 Intelligence Unit

The Intelligence Unit within the Department of National Operations compiles and eval-

uates intelligence from the regions. The work is based on the governing document Poli-

soperativ inriktning mot allvarlig och organiserad brottslighet (Operational police fo-

cus on serious and organised crime). One of the intermediate goals here is to assure

fundamental rights and freedoms by combating systematic, ideologically motivated

crime and preventing terrorist crimes or other serious violent crimes, some of which

may constitute hate crimes. It is therefore important that there is collaboration between

the investigating staff and the intelligence operations at all levels of the police. This

collaboration is established today at the local, regional and national level.

To follow the trend of hate crime in Sweden, the police refer to the Swedish National

Council for Crime Prevention (BRÅ) statistics on reported hate crimes, which are pre-

sented annually.

5.3.1.4 Investigative Unit

The crime victim and personal security division within the police assumes responsibility

for the support and protection of victims of crime, including victims of hate crime, who

are living under threat. Since 2015, operations have been arranged in a new structure

with working groups in all police regions. These are coordinated by the Department of

National Operations’ Investigative Unit (the special operations division). The democra-

cy and hate crime units in the regions collaborate with the victims of crime and personal

security division concerning victims who are in need of support or protection after being

subjected to hate crime.

5.3.2 Human Resources Department

Competence Centre 4 is responsible for developing and implementing national training

regarding democracy and hate crimes. Basic training includes two days of seminars

which have been offered to the regions on three occasions, the last being in December

2016. An advanced pilot programme comprising five full days has been carried out. An

interactive training programme for those receiving reports and other line staff is being

developed.

5.3.3 Information Technology Department

The hate crime marker that has been found in the IT support for receiving reports

(RAR) has been transferred to Durtvå in February 2017. When the box is clicked, a pop-

up window appears with the definition of what a hate crime is. In this way, incorrect

marking can be reduced and hate crimes become easier to trace.

5.3.4 Communications Department/Swedish Police Museum

The Police Museum has produced an exhibition on hate crime called “Us and Them”. It

is aimed primarily at schoolchildren. The aim is to spread knowledge and create an un-

derstanding of the impact of hate crimes. The exhibition was opened in February 2017

by the Minister for Culture and Democracy. It is also suitable as a travelling exhibition,

which is scheduled for later on.

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5.4 Internal Audit

Internal Audit is currently examining how efforts to investigate hate crimes and the con-

fidence-building activities are being conducted within the police. The review will be

reported separately to the National Police Commissioner in the spring of 2017. Its pur-

pose is to identify potential areas of development and to highlight success factors. This

is part of the authority’s efforts to become a learning organisation.

6 Reasoning regarding the effects

It is difficult to assess the impact of the police’s increased capacity to combat hate

crimes. To measure an effect, there should be a baseline to compare against. Such a

baseline does not exist, as hate crimes are difficult to monitor in the police report sys-

tem. The number of reported hate crimes does not correspond to the vulnerability expe-

rienced by some groups in society, according to the Swedish National Council for

Crime Prevention. Against that background, it is difficult to gain an overview on wheth-

er hate crimes are decreasing or increasing. The National Council for Crime Prevention

addresses this issue in its Report 2016:15 pp. 27–28.

However, the police have implemented a number of initiatives that can be measured and

monitored. This particularly applies to the addition of resources for investigation, pro-

fessional development and training, and confidence-building measures. The effect of

the measures over time should be that the police becomes better at identifying and in-

vestigating hate crimes.

In order to increase confidence and to reduce the number of unreported cases, the police

have actively sought out groups that are particularly vulnerable to hate crimes. Most of

the confidence-building work has been carried out at the regional and local level. At the

national level, two consultation forums have been conducted, aimed at representatives

of national organisations for groups vulnerable to hate crimes. The police initiative has

been appreciated by those who participated, but it has been difficult to gather partici-

pants at the national level. The police’s national contact with the participants after the

consultation forums has only been sporadic. When an organisation reports a hate crime,

it turns instead to the region where the hate crime has occurred. Experience may indi-

cate that the contact between the police and groups vulnerable to hate crimes in particu-

lar should be at the regional and local level, where the police work can help those vul-

nerable in a more pragmatic way.

Prior to this feedback report, a questionnaire regarding perceived effect was sent to the

participants at the national consultation forum which took place in May 2016. Only two

associations have responded, the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,

Transgender and Queer Rights (RFSL) and the Russian National Association in Swe-

den. RFSL considers it too early to say with certainty anything about the effects of the

expanded police hate crime work. Individual members and clients of RFSL’s victim

support hotline indicate a relatively good reaction in most cases. The Russian National

Association in Sweden is grateful for the police’s ambition to establish contact, but can-

not comment on any possible effect.

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Representatives of journalists, writers, publishers and media houses have also received a

questionnaire regarding perceived effect. However, the target group is primarily affect-

ed by threats and hatred which do not directly constitute hate crimes as defined7 by the

police, the Swedish Prosecution Authority and the Swedish National Council for Crime

Prevention. The feedback regarding the police’s level of ambition has been positive

from the security chiefs of the big media houses. They perceive significantly improved

contact and availability. Contact channels are now directed towards the democracy and

hate crime units, the victims of crime and personal security division and the Department

of National Operations. The Swedish Union of Journalists has responded that its mem-

bers in the past year have perceived an increased willingness by the police to work with

particularly vulnerable professional groups like journalists, which has led to increased

confidence in the police’s ambitions.

The Prosecution Authority has been asked whether it perceives any improvement of

quality in the investigations into hate crimes. Responses have been received from thir-

teen different specialist prosecutors. Most have not perceived any effect from the higher

level of ambition, nor an improvement in the communication. However, there are ex-

ceptions. One prosecutor in the South region states that both the contact with the police

and the quality of the investigations has been improved. Several prosecutors also point

out that there has already been good communication between prosecutors and police in

these cases.

Overall, the police’s assessment is that it is still too early to comment on the effect with

regard to the increased ability to investigate hate crimes. The measures taken must be

given time to work and the knowledge regarding hate crime needs to be disseminated

further, both within the police organisation and externally.

7 The work ahead

The police will continue to seek contact with groups that are particularly vulnerable to

hate crimes. This will mainly be done at the regional and local police district level. In

pace with the new police organisation establishing itself and the municipal police offic-

ers assuming their roles, there are increased opportunities to continue to pursue and es-

tablish the confidence-building activities.

The Development Centre in Stockholm has a continuing responsibility to monitor and

develop the work with investigating hate crimes. The contact network that has been set

up within the police will continue to function. In this way, activities throughout the

country can be followed up continuously.

The training initiatives within the police will continue. In 2017 an interactive training

programme will be developed that is aimed at those receiving reports and preliminary

enquiry investigators. In this way, the competence of police employees who work at the

police contact centres can be broadened, as well as those engaged in intervention activi-

ties. Everyday crime investigators and other other investigative staff will also be able to

undergo the training.

7 Hate crime consists of the offences agitation against an ethnic group, unlawful discrimination and any

crime where the aggravation of sentence rule in Chapter 29, Section 2, point 7 of the Penal Code can be

applied.

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With the hate crime marker being transferred to Durtvå, along with an explanatory text,

the ability to monitor hate crimes cases in a more fair way will increase.

Police cooperation with other authorities within the judicial system will continue to de-

velop in regard to hate crime. Not least in terms of cooperation with the Swedish Prose-

cution Authority and the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention.

Internal Audit’s conclusions regarding the police’s ability to combat hate crime shall be

addressed. Potential areas of development areas shall be identified and improved. In this

way, the police will continue to be a learning organisation, even within the area of hate

crime.

The police has now established an organisation to investigate and take care of victims of

hate crime. During 2017 and onwards, further steps will be taken to increase police ca-

pacity in the area.

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Appendix 1

Objective Outcome

That there are specific units

in the police regions of

Stockholm, West and South

that have the ability to

combat hate crime and other

criminality that threatens

fundamental rights and

freedoms and the free

formation of opinion.

In the police regions of Stockholm and South,

the previously established Hate Crime Units

have been expanded. A new unit has been

created in the West region. Each unit consists of

about ten employees, when they are at full

strength, and is led by a unit head. In Stockholm

and the West region, the units are at the

regional level, and in the South region it is

located in the local police district North Malmö.

That the other police regions

have the capacity to combat

hate crime and other

criminality that threatens

fundamental rights and

freedoms and the free

formation of opinion.

All regions have prepared action plans for how

they will increase their ability to counteract hate

crime. All regions have put part of their staff

through professional development training in

the form of nationally organised programmes.

A network of contacts is led and coordinated by

the Development Centre in Stockholm.

That the solving and

prosecution of hate crimes

increases, and in particular

that employees have

knowledge about the

definition of hate crimes and

the ability to identify hate

crime motives when reports

are being submitted and also

during the investigation

process, that the correct

initial steps are being taken

by police officers in the field,

such as the seizure of

forensic evidence and asking

the right questions, and that

IT forensic investigators are

involved in the investigation

where necessary.

The police’s intranet, Intrapolis, offers support

and guidance on how the investigation process

for hate crimes should be pursued. This applies

to initial measures, investigation and

preliminary investigation management. Specific

information has been communicated to the

police contact centres regarding what the staff

should keep in mind when receiving reports.

National training has been implemented in the

form of three training programmes at two days

each and an advanced pilot programme of five

days.

Regional programmes have been carried out

with the aid of the three Hate Crime Units,

among others. In the Bergslagen region, about

forty people participated in a hate crime training

programme with the aim of disseminating the

knowledge down the line to the intervention

staff.

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An interactive training programme is under

development, with the goal that all police staff

will be able to access it via Intrapolis. It is

expected to be finished in 2017.

That there is a consultation

forum at the national level

where representatives of

organisations for groups

vulnerable to hate crimes can

meet representatives of the

authorities within the judicial

system.

A national consultation forums has been

conducted in 2015 and in 2016. Each meeting

has gathered some twenty representatives of

groups vulnerable to hate crimes.

A new consultation forum is planned for May

2017.

The police has the ability to

continuously monitor and

compile national status

reports regarding hate crime

in the country.

The police refers to the Swedish National

Council for Crime Prevention concerning the

follow-up of the number of hate crimes reported

and the development of hate crimes in Sweden.

The intelligence operations are able, if

necessary, to produce a national status report

regarding crime, including hate crimes, if such

is needed. Thus far, this need has not been

expressed.

That measures are taken to

promote confidence and

security in groups that are

particularly vulnerable to

hate crimes.

All police regions have initiated contact with

religious communities and other groups

vulnerable to hate crimes in their region. The

police initiative has been well received by the

recipients.

That the police engages in

dialogue with the public

regarding hate crimes and

participates in public debate

regarding hate crimes.

In addition to the confidence-building

measures, the police has participated in panel

discussions, produced three short films that

describe hate crimes on social media,

participated in Pride festivals and appeared on

television and radio on several occasions. In

conjunction with the release of the short films, a

chat was carried out with citizens via Facebook.

That cooperation agreements

and local undertakings

regarding hate crime are used

in collaboration with

municipalities and other

The project has worked closely with the internal

project local undertakings. Hate crime fits in

well as an area where local undertakings can be

used.

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stakeholders at the local

police district level.

That the national crime

victim and personal security

work is developed to provide

tailored support to people

exposed to hate crimes.

A victims of crime and personal security

division (BOPS) has been established in all

police regions. Collaboration has been pursued

at the national and regional level between hate

crime officials and BOPS. BOPS is responsible

for taking care of hate crime victims who need

support and protection. BOPS is also

responsible for contacts with the media houses

and local politicians in each region, concerning

the need for support.

That a review of the design

and implementation of the

so-called hate crime marker

in the RAR system is carried

out to make the marker more

appropriate with regard to

following the actual

development of the hate

crimes.

The so-called hate crime marker has been

transferred to Durtvå. In connection with it

being marked, there will now be a pop-up box

with the definition of what a hate crime is. In

this way the conditions are there for the box to

be filled in correctly and for hate crimes to be

easier to track.

That consultation and

cooperation take place with

the relevant representatives

of the Swedish Prosecution

Authority at the national and

prosecution district level.

The police regions have identified the specific

hate crimes prosecutors in the region. At the

national level, cooperation has taken place with

the Prosecution Development Centre in Malmö,

which has responsibility for the area of hate

crime. Joint training has been carried out on

several occasions. In 2016, the Prosecution

Authority participated in the hate crime

conference organised by the police. Follow-up

cooperation meetings have been conducted with

the Swedish National Council for Crime

Prevention with a view to improving the ability

to follow the trend of hate crimes. Cooperation

will continue in the coming years.

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