Friday, October 24, 2025
Last week, (13th-17th October 2025), to mark Hate Crime Awareness Week, officers visited hundreds of businesses across West Lancashire (which includes Lancaster, Morecambe, Wyre, Fylde and Blackpool) to launch Operation Hail.
290 individuals were visited by Lancashire Police officers, who spoke to employers and staff about Op Hail, the forces response to tackle hate crime in the workplace, and ensure they have a full understanding of what constitutes a hate crime and where they can access support in reporting.
As part of the activity, they visited:
• 12 individuals from taxi ranks
• 73 individuals from takeaways
• 65 individuals from Licensed premises
• 70 individuals from supermarkets and other retailers
• 46 individuals from the health sector
• 24 individuals from other sectors
During the visits, officers also spoke with employers about how they can support staff who have been victims of hate crime to report it directly to Police or via a third-party reporting centre.
Of those spoken to, 45.5% strongly agreed that they would report hate crimes before the initiative. This rose to 57.2% after staff learnt about Op Hail.19.3% disagreed that they would report before the initiative, which dropped significantly to just 2.1% after an Op Hail visit.
Through funding provided by the Lancashire Partnership Against Crime (LANPAC), officers handed out posters, window stickers and leaflets to businesses to remind employers that hate is not part of their job!
Safer Neighbourhoods Inspector Dave Callan said: “The message of this operation is simple: hate is not a part of anyone's job.
“We receive reports from victims of hate every single week. Often, these people are just going about their daily work and should not have to put up with this behaviour when they are simply trying to make a living.
“Through Op Hail, we are committed to continuing to work with and for victims to ensure that those who have been suffering with the scourge of hate crime are brought to justice. If you have ever been the victim of hate crime, please report this to us as our priority is to protect every member of our community, making sure victims feel safe, supported, and heard.”
Al Yusuf from LANPAC said: “LANPAC are proud to continue our support of Operation Hail and the work being done to tackle hate crime in the workplace. No one should ever face discrimination or abuse while simply trying to do their job.
“Through our funding and partnership with the Police, we aim to ensure that businesses and employees are equipped with the resources to report hate crimes and feel safe in their workplace.”
If you or someone you know has been a victim of hate crime in the workplace, you can report this to police by calling 101 or online here https://www.lancashire.police.uk/ro/report/lb/report-hate-crime/ . You can also seek support and advice from independent, third-part reporting centres. Find your nearest one here https://www.lancashire.police.uk/ro/report/hate-crime/information/v1/hate-crime/how-to-report-hate-crime/