Peterborough Police Create Online Form To Report Hate Bias Incidents

The Peterborough Police Service has created an online form for residents to report hate bias incidents. The online option is a means to reduce barriers in reporting.

Photo by Luke Best.

“Any form of hate is intolerable. The hope is that reducing barriers to report such incidents will lead to more accurate reporting and a better understanding of the incidents in our community so resources can be directed accordingly,” said Acting Chief Tim Farquharson, Peterborough Police Service.

You can find the form through the Peterborough Police Service Online Reporting Portal or directly Hate Bias Incident Form.

Peterborough Police define a hate/bias incident as behaviour that, although motivated by bias against an individual or group based on racial, religious, ethnic, sexual orientation or disability etc, is not a criminal act. Hostile comments or other disrespectful/discriminatory behaviour may be motivated by bias but is not necessarily criminal in nature.

These actions become crimes only when they directly incite others to commit violence against ascribed status individuals or groups based on racial, religious, ethnic, sexual orientation or disability etc, or if they place a potential victim/group in fear of their safety.

Police can help to defuse potentially dangerous situations and prevent hate-motivated criminal behaviour by responding to, and accurately documenting hate-motivated speech or behavior even if it does not rise to the level of a criminal offence.

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