A Hate Crime Officer (HCO) can be a police officer or a member of police staff.

They offer support to people suffering from any form of racial, religious, or homophobic crime, people who are suffering as a result of a disability, or elder abuse, those that may be victimised such as asylum seekers, refugees, homeless people and travellers and individuals finding themselves subjected to a forced marriage.

An HCO works in partnership with other agencies providing police advice on all aspects of hate crime.

HCOs work closely with members of local community groups too, maintaining a very important link with minority groups and helping to promote reporting of all hate crime.