Met Police Commissioner warns against ‘complacency’ in tackling gay hate crime
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe has commented on new homophobic crime research by saying there should be “no complacency” in tackling the problem in London.
On Tuesday, Sir Bernard said: “I welcome the latest research by Stonewall and the opportunity to host the launch of their publication at New Scotland Yard.
“The MPS has made improvements in recent years, however there is no place for complacency and we must continuously strive to enhance the service that LGBT Londoners expect and deserve.
“We look forward to maintaining our engagement with Stonewall to reduce the harm caused by hate crime and increase the confidence of victims.”
Compared to other types of hate crime, such as racism, the proportion of homophobic incidents are on the rise. 9% of all UK hate crimes in 2009 were homophobic, rising to 10% in 2010 and 11% in 2011.