GMP Bolton officers deliver training to give hate crime the boot

Officers from GMP’s Bolton district have been working, in collaboration with Bolton Council, to deliver hate crime training for staff involved in local football team the Bolton Wanderers, to encourage more victims to report and make it easier for them to do so.

Since May 2022 officers have delivered training to 60 members of staff, including match day stewards, stadium hotel staff and mentors from the club’s charity group – Bolton Wanderers in the community (BWIC).

The training is part of GMP’s commitment to ensuring that victims of hate crime are supported and feel confident in reporting. Once the members of staff have completed the training programme they are them able to become official hate crime recording centres, meaning that victims can report an incident and still receive support and advise if they feel uncomfortable going directly to the police.

Detective Superintendent Chris Bridge, the hate crime lead for GMP’s Bolton district, said: “Being targeted for who you are is wrong and won’t be tolerated by GMP.

“Although we encourage victims to report hate crimes to us and we are steadfast in our commitment to treating these reports seriously and the victims with empathy, we recognise that for many different reasons victims may not want to come directly to the police. This is why it’s important that we work with partners to ensure that there are third-party reporting centres, equipped with the correct training and support for those victims.

“The training our Bolton officers have provided to Bolton Wanderers is a really positive step. It gives victims the opportunity to report and seek support from a trusted source, as well as sending the message, that as a community we will not accept hate crime and we will come together to stamp it out.”

Bolton Council's Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, Cllr Mudasir Dean, said: “Hate crime has no place in Bolton and the council takes a zero-tolerance approach to those who seek to undermine community cohesion.

“The most effective way to tackle hate crime is to call it out and report it wherever it happens.

“Thanks to initiatives like this, there are more places than ever where victims can find the support, advice and reassurance they need.”

Neil Hart, Chief Executive Officer of Bolton Wanderers, said: “We are pleased to be working in partnership with the Council and the police to deliver this important work.

“We want to play our part in stopping hate crime and through the training that has taken place, we can now confidently support those victims who report hate crime to our staff. We hope this, in addition to all the work we are engaged in through Bolton Wanderers in the Community, will be of great support to the wider community.”

If you have been a victim of or witnessed a hate, you can approach Bolton Wanderers stewards, hotel staff or a mentor from BWIC to report it.

Greater Manchester Police can be contacted via gmp.police.uk or 101. In an emergency, always dial 999. Information can also be shared anonymously via the independent charity – Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit www.letsendhatecrime.com to report or receive help and support.