CHELMSFORD Council has become a hate incident reporting centre.
The centre will provide a secure place to victims and witnesses of hate crime to report any incidents, should people not want to go to the police directly.
Police have identified that some people feel uncomfortable going to a police station to report certain crimes.
A number of centres have been set up in the community across Essex to provide an alternative way to report hate crime.
Councillor Ian Grundy, in charge of safer communities, said: “The Council is at the centre of the community and so becoming an accredited Hate Incident Reporting Centre is important for the authority. We want to support victims and witnesses of hate crime and to help tackle this important issue.”
Chief Inspector Alan Cook, from Essex Police, said: “The aim of the HIRC is to make it easier for members of the public to report hate crime. Chelmsford Council is a safe and accessible place and therefore people may find it more comfortable to report crime whilst being in familiar surroundings.”
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