OSCE human rights chief welcomes launch of hate crime information for Polish police

Polish police officers will be able to better identify hate crimes and seek support for victims guided by a new hate crime information leaflet published today.

Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)  praised the work of the Polish Ministry of Interior, the Police Plenipotentiaries on human rights and the Never Again Association, highlighting their co-operation with ODIHR.

“Poland was one of the pioneers of ODIHR’s hate crime training for police officers,” Lenarčič said. “I understand that over 20,000 police officers have been trained, and trainings are regular and ongoing throughout the country. No other country has implemented this police training to this extent.”

He noted the importance of a co-ordinated and robust response to hate crimes as Poland prepares to co-host the Euro 2012 football championship.