Non-crime hate incidents ‘must be investigated to detect precursors to violence’

Gavin Stephens said it is the police’s role to investigate any allegations of hate crime and detect precursors to violence (Jordan Pettitt/PA) - (PA Wire)

Police must investigate so-called non-crime hate incidents so they do not miss “precursors to violence”, one of the UK’s most senior officers has said.

Chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Gavin Stephens said the rioting over the summer showed that online hate can cause “real damage” in communities if left unchecked.