Australia's longest-standing police unit dedicated to policing hate crime has been reduced to just one officer, according to a report obtained by the ABC. The NSW Police Bias Crime Unit, which once had four staff members, was downgraded in 2017, raising concerns about its effectiveness.
The report, titled 'Bias Crime Policing: The Graveyard Shift', was authored by Professor Gail Mason from the University of Sydney. It reveals that the unit was effectively vacant between 2009 and 2013, and that its relocation to the Fixated Persons Investigation Unit in 2017 led to a loss of expertise.
Professor Mason conducted in-depth interviews with 10 police officers working in bias crime in NSW. She stated that the downgrading sends a strong message that the NSW Police Force does not take hate crime seriously. Several officers described the unit's approach as tokenistic, calling it an 'unwanted secret' and a 'political inconvenience'.
One officer warned that nothing would change until a significant violent attack occurs, such as a white supremacist walking into a mosque. The officer also criticized the leadership, saying the organization is run by 'old white men' and aims to silence minorities.
In response, a NSW Police spokeswoman stated that the unit has evolved over time to improve its capability, and that every officer receives training on bias crimes. However, lawyer Lydia Shelly, former vice president of the Islamophobia register, described the unit as 'glorified statisticians' and said it was never resourced to handle the problem seriously.
