Hate crimes against Cumbria Police officers double in a year

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 11 Oct, 13:08 · Archive

Hate crimes against Cumbria Police officers doubled year-on-year to 34 recorded incidents in 2025–26.

Hate crimes against Cumbria Police officers have doubled year-on-year, with 34 recorded incidents in the 2025–26 financial year, according to a Freedom of Information request. Across England and Wales, at least 5,355 hate crimes against police officers were recorded in the same period, though the true national total is believed to be higher because 13 forces could not supply data. The local doubling has raised concerns among union leaders about the safety and wellbeing of officers from minority backgrounds.

Ed Russell, chair of Cumbria Police Federation, described racist abuse as an 'absolute scourge' that must be reported and tackled robustly. He said no officer should have to tolerate abuse, either physical or verbal, and rejected the notion that such treatment is simply 'part of the job'. He urged officers experiencing hate crime to come forward and report it.

Russell also called on all officers to be 'upstanders', actively reporting racist behaviour they witness to managers, saying 'even one instance of that kind of abuse against an officer is one instance too many'. He acknowledged that Cumbria's relatively low proportion of ethnic minority officers may make some colleagues feel their experiences are not understood by supervisors, potentially discouraging them from reporting incidents.

Cumbria's Police Federation has backed the 'Protect The Protectors: Stop Racism Against Police' campaign, launched by Humberside Police Federation. The campaign aims to collect better data on the scale of racist abuse, raise awareness of what officers face, improve protection for staff, and ensure offenders are dealt with appropriately. Russell said that anything forces can do to 'protect the protectors' is vital to policing.

How it is being reported

• Cumbria Police chief calls racist abuse of officers a “scourge” as hate crimes doubleRACISM against police officers is an “absolute scourge” that must be reported and tackled robustly, Cumbria’s Police Federation chair has warned, as new figures show hate crimes against local officers have doubled in a year.NW Evening Mail · 11 Oct, 06:45
• Cumbria Police chief calls racist abuse of officers a “scourge” as hate crimes doubleRACISM against police officers is an “absolute scourge” that must be reported and tackled robustly, Cumbria’s Police Federation chair has warned, as new figures show hate crimes against local officers have doubled in a year.Westmorland Gazette · 11 Oct, 06:45
• Cumbria Police chief calls racist abuse of officers a “scourge” as hate crimes doubleRACISM against police officers is an “absolute scourge” that must be reported and tackled robustly, Cumbria’s Police Federation chair has warned, as new figures show hate crimes against local officers have doubled in a year.Whitehaven News · 11 Oct, 06:45
• Cumbria Police chief calls racist abuse of officers a “scourge” as hate crimes doubleRACISM against police officers is an “absolute scourge” that must be reported and tackled robustly, Cumbria’s Police Federation chair has warned, as new figures show hate crimes against local officers have doubled in a year.Cumberland News · 11 Oct, 06:45

In this story: Cumbria Police · Ed Russell · Cumbria Police Federation · Humberside Police Federation · England and Wales · Cumbria

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