Training activity in Rome enhances police response to hate crime

The CEPOL "Hate Crime" Advanced Training Course took place between 16 and 19 November 2021. The course, held in Rome at the Headquarters of the Interagency Law Enforcement Academy of Advanced Studies, hosted teachers and 26 law enforcement experts from all over Europe.

The event was organised with the collaboration of the Faculty of Political Sciences, Sociology and Communication of the Sapienza University of Rome and OSCAD (Observatory for Security Against Acts of Discrimination). Beside Italian institutions and experts, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the European Commission, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Austrian Security Academy contributed to the course.

On 16 November the course was opened by Maj.Gen. Giuseppe La Gala, Director - Interagency Law Enforcement Academy of Advanced Studies, Prof. Tito Marci, Dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences, Sociology, Communication, and Vittorio Rizzi, Deputy Director-General of Italian Police.

The aim of the training was to enhance the police response to hate crime in general and hate speech and online hate speech, as specific forms of delinquency with special motives, as well as identifiable social and psychological basis. The course encouraged the use of specific investigation methods and law enforcement cooperation in the field of hate crime.

The organisers adopted differentiated training methodologies, analyzed the phenomena with various approaches including social and psychological, and considered the multiple points of view of Law Enforcement but also victims, NGOs, Civil Society Institutions, etc.

If you are interested in more details of the training and interviews with experts and participants, watch the following videos:

DAY 1:

DAY 2:

DAY 3:

DAY 4:

If you are interested in reading about this activity in Italian, click here.