Stockholm County Police Project on Hate Crimes

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Stockholm County Police Project on Hate Crimes

Stockholm County Police
Detective Inspector Wenche Déas-Mobergh Detective
Sandra Emthén
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Project Goals

• Increased will to report hate crimes
• Increase the percentage of solved hate crimes.
• Increased knowledge and competence within
  Stockholm County Police regarding hate crime
• To increase the Stockholm County Police level of
  trust with Immigrants and within the
  LGBT-community
• Main focus should be cases involving younger
  suspects (age 15-25)

Stockholm County Police
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The Swedish Penal Code Chapter 29, 2 Increase
in severity of a punishment
As aggravating circumstances shall, when
assessing the type and level of punishment, aside
from the punishment that each type of crime
stated below normally leads to, special
consideration be taken if - The motive was to
offend a person, a specific ethnicity or any
other group of people because of race, skin
colour, nationality or ethnic background,
religious belief, sexual orientation or similar
circumstance.
Stockholm County Police
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Current Status Report 2008

• Most common types of crime in Stockholm
  City
• Insult, molestation, unlawful threats, criminal
  damage, unlawful discrimination, assault,
  aggravated assault, xenophobia
• 67 related to xenophobia, 22 related to
  sexual orientation, 11 miscellaneous (religion
  etc)
• Most common arenas typical cases
• Public place, evening or night time. Often young
  perpetrators (15-20 years), the victim mainly
  between 20-35 years.
• Internet/Telephone/Mobile phones Threat text
  messages, Web pages, threats left on answering
  machines, harassments via telephone.
• Domestic environment mainly neighbours
• Schools Bullying and harassments
• Night life/Restaurants/Bars Unprovoked violence
  as persons exits Gay Clubs, unlawful
  discrimination of customers

Stockholm County Police
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The Special Group investigating Hate Crimes

• Five Criminal Investigators in total one Project
  Leader, one Co-ordinator and three investigators
• All crimes, occurring in Stockholm City, related
  to Hate Crime shall be investigated by this
  Special Group (except for crimes that are to
  extensive for this small group to handle alone)
• Investigations led by a Prosecutor when there is
  a identified perpetrator or suspect with probable
  cause
• The Group can require support by Forensic
  Technicians when needed
• The Group serves additional hours on special
  occasions such as the Pride Festival, on Swedens
  National Day, repeated damaging of
  monuments/clubs etc.

Stockholm County Police
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Communication and Co-ordination

• Points of Contact at four different Police
  Stations within Stockholm City
• Giving lectures on Hate Crime in schools, for
  students as well as personnel
• Communicate and Co-ordinate with different
  groups, companies and organisations, also with
  different shops restaurants and pubs

Stockholm County Police
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Training

• All personnel within Criminal Investigations in
  Stockholm City including the personnel at County
  Communications Central and also the senior
  officers in patrolling duty are trained in
  initial steps and what to ask or look for
• When writing a report on a committed crime
  special consideration shall be taken relating to
  Hate Crime
• - Any special circumstances at the scene of the
  crime?
• Questions to ask
• Why do you think the perpetrator did this to you?
• Do you have any idea why you were targeted?

Stockholm County Police
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Project results

• All investigations relating to Hate Crime are
  gathered at one place leading to increased
  efficiency.
• The will to report this type of crimes have
  increased.
• Increased trust with the public community
• Other parts of society are relating to this
  project, increasing the overall trust in the
  police force
• An increase in competence within the police force
  regarding Hate Crimes
• A change of attitude among the personnel working
  at Stockholm County Police

Stockholm County Police
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Thanks for listening!
hatbrottsjouren.stockholm_at_polisen.se
Stockholm County Police