Police Educated on Hate Crime Investigation

gay.hr

04 July 2006

Last week, a three-day training programme was organized for the members of police force on methods of investigation of hate crimes. Hate crimes were recently introduced to the Croatian Criminal Code. The training was conducted by local police trainers, with assistance by UK and US experts.

Nine police officers were educated to provide them with knowledge that would enable them to further educate lower ranked police officials, especially the uniformed police. Such training was long-standing international obligation.

The seminar included contents on definition and understanding of hate crimes; social psychology of hatred and understanding the perpetrators; criminal legislation in Croatia; recognizing hate crimes; treatment of victims; the necessary forensic skills; recognizing the meanings of various hate symbols; dissemination of hatred in the media; and other relevant information.

On the behalf of Iskorak and Kontra Legal Team, Kristijan Grdjan and Sanja Juras gave a lecture on NGO cooperation in suppression of hate crimes. Representatives of OSCE/ODIHR praised the work of the Legal Team on the initiative to introduce hate crimes in the Criminal Code, as well as its efforts in the field of suppression of hate crimes.

OSCE/ODIHR representatives see the inclusion of non-governmental organizations in the preparation of the seminar as an important development, a good example for countries that don�t nurture and recognize such form of cooperation.

The Legal Team believes that this seminar was the first positive step of cooperation between NGOs and the Police, which guarantees future positive results. In their view, similar education is needed for judicial bodies, the likely immediate task for the Lecal Team, in cooperation with OSCE/ODIHR.