Ron Hogg, Durham’s Police and Crime Commissioner has pledged his support to ending hate crime against people with a learning disability by signing up to Mencap’s ‘Stand by me’ police promise.
Mencap launched the ‘Stand by me’ campaign during Learning Disability Week in 2010 and calls on police services to commit to a promise that will help make sure people with a learning disability can live their lives free from the fear of crime.
Durham Police officially endorsed its support to Mencap in June 2011 and continues to commit to fulfilling all nine points of the charter. Alongside the policing promise, Mencap will work with Durham’s PCC to develop practical guidance and spell out the adjustments they need to make to sure they can support victims with a learning disability.
Ron Hogg said: “I am committed to tackling hate crime in County Durham and Darlington and this is one of my personal priorities. Hate crime of any type is thoroughly despicable but becomes even more so when directed against vulnerable people”.
Dan Scorer, Mencap’s Senior Campaigns Manager, said: “Police services are doing good work, and their response is getting better. Other services are still failing to support victims of disability hate crime. Through the ‘Stand by me’ campaign we want to make sure all police services are following the example set by the best. We welcome the PCC’s commitment to uphold these standards and help end disability hate crime in a generation.”
Mr Hogg will be holding a seminar on hate crime in the near future with relevant local organisations and groups, to determine the way forward. For more information on the ‘Stand by me’ campaign and charter, and to show your support, visit: www.mencap.org.uk/standbyme.
