Policing expert addresses global conference on tackling hate crime

Timothy Parsons delivered two sessions at this year’s European Police College conference in Croatia.

Date: 18 July 2016

A Senior Lecturer in BSc Criminology and Policing at London Met was invited to deliver two sessions at the annual European Police College (CEPOL) conference in Croatia, highlighting the globally-recognised expertise of lecturers at the University.

Dr Timothy Parsons shared his knowledge of managing victims and witnesses of hate crimes, and how to combat Islamophobia.

CEPOL is the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training. Its headquarters are based in Budapest.

Dr Parsons, Senior Lecturer in BSc Criminology and Policing, said: “Hate crimes affect the majority of ethnic minority, faith communities and other minority groups such as LGBT at various times.

“There are often spikes in the number of hate crimes reported due to significant events, such as Israeli incursions into Gaza which lead to increased anti-Semitic attacks in the UK.

“Staff from the John Grieve Centre for Policing and Community Safety continue to train and advise police professionals and government officials in a number of countries about how to effectively combat hate crimes and Islamophobia,” he continued.

Some of Dr Parsons’ career highlights include working for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights where he rewrote training manuals on human rights and policing.

The international conference took place between 4-7 July and was attended by police professionals from every EU member state and from Turkey and Iceland. Its theme this year was combatting hate crime, in light of recent migration and refugee crises across the EU.