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2017-02-27
Feedback report to the Government concerning hate crimes
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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
3 Decision record 15/15
4 Decision record 155/16
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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.