Reporting a Crime
In an emergency, you should phone 999. You will need to tell the police officer answering your call the exact location where the police are needed, why they are needed and your name and number. However the call will still be acted upon if you refuse to give your name.
In non-emergency situations, you should usually contact the police service local to the area in which the crime has taken place. In Leeds, this is the West Yorkshire Police. You can do this by phone or in person, at Police stations with front offices open to the public.
Sometimes it can be difficult to report a crime to the police. If you are reluctant to speak to the police for whatever reason, you can contact one of the following for help:
- Carole Munsey: Police-Student Liason Officer – 0113 205 3025, 077 8975 3400
- Victim Support: 0845 30 30 900 or at www.victimsupport.org.uk
Hate Crimes
A hate crime is any criminal offence which is perceived, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s actual or presumed disability, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or whether they are transgender.
A hate incident is an incident that is not a criminal offence, but like a hate crime, is perceived to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s actual or presumed disability, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or whether they are transgender.
Hate crimes and incidents can be reported to the police. However there are third-party reporting schemes which allow victims to report hate crimes to the police anonymously via a third party such as a community group or website.
Leeds University Union Student Advice Centre and the University of Leeds International Student Office are Hate Incident Reporting Centres, please contact either service if you would like to report an incident.
Any information you give at a reporting centre is confidential and anonymous if you prefer. Information does not have to be shared, you can choose what information to give and who it is passed on to. For further information about hate incidents, please see www.stophateuk.org.