COLCHESTER Council is hosting training events for staff to raise awareness of hate crime after more than 2,000 cases were reported across Essex.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week runs from October 12 October 19.

Lou Middleton, Essex Police’s hate crime officer for Colchester, will lead the Hate Crime Awareness and Hate Crime Ambassador training.

It will enable frontline staff to recognise a hate crime incident, learn how to deal with it, the pathways for reporting and how they can provide support to victims and witnesses.

Mike Lilley, Colchester councillor responsible for public safety, said: “UK Home Office figures show between December 2017 and November 2018 there were 2,476 hate crimes and incidents reported to Essex Police for the whole of Essex.

"These shocking figures reveal there are people out there who wish to do harm to some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

“The council is committed to ensuring our borough is a safe and welcoming place for people of all ages, genders, faiths and nationalities.

"This awareness week is an excellent opportunity for us to run additional training courses for our frontline staff, to further develop their understanding of the different types of hate crimes and how to support victims."

Lou Middleton said: “We understand how hate crime can have long-lasting emotional, and sometimes physical, effects on victims, and we want to help in every way we can.

“We encourage anyone who has been a victim of hate crime to report it to us, either directly, via a third party, or by visiting one of the Hate Incident Reporting Centres (HIRCs) across the county.

“There are also a number of organisations that can help, such as Stop Hate UK.

“Myself and two colleagues will also be in Culver Square, Colchester, on Wednesday between 9am and noon, so if you have any concerns or questions about hate crime please come and speak to us.”

Visit www.essex.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information.