International Training-of-Trainers: Training Against Hate Crimes for Law Enforcement

ODIHR’s Training against Hate Crimes for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) programme is designed to improve police skills in recognizing, understanding and investigating hate crimes, and providing effective support to victims.

Implementation of the programme improves police skills in preventing and responding to hate crimes, interacting effectively with victim communities, and building public confidence and co-operation with law-enforcement agencies.

The aim is to train an international group of trainers who will be able to support the implementation of TAHCLE training activities across the OSCE region. The event also aims to develop the capacity of national hate crime experts to deliver further hate crime training or train their own colleagues.

Objective

• The objective of the training is to provide participants with the tools to be able to deliver a hate crime training course to law enforcement from all levels and in any country context.

Topics

• Topics addressed in the training will include:
  • Understanding prejudice, bias and stereotypes
  • The impact of hate crimes
  • The hate crime concept (and the difference between hate crime and criminalized hate speech and other related concepts)
  • Legislation and international standards on hate crimes
  • Recognition of hate crimes using bias indicators
  • Recording of hate crimes
  • The sensitive and respectful treatment of hate crime victims
  • Case studies
  • Training skills

Benefits

• Participants who complete the training will receive a certificate confirming they are an ODIHR-certified TAHCLE trainer.
• Full board and accommodation for 4 nights and travel to Warsaw will be covered by ODIHR. Training materials will be provided by ODIHR.

Program Specifications

• The training is interactive and requires a high level of active participation, including through group work and exercises. Applicants should take into account that if their application is accepted, it will be difficult for them to carry out other work-related activities during the training workshop.
• Participants will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained and develop their training skills by conducting practice training sessions for other participants. These practice sessions will give them the experience and confidence to independently, or together with ODIHR, organize and deliver training workshops on hate crimes for law enforcement.
• Participants are expected to:
  • have a strong interest in working on hate crime or discrimination (ideally with hate crime as part of their current responsibilities);
  • participate full-time in the four-day in-person training course between 24- 27 June 2025;
  • study the training materials in advance; and
  • be available at least once a year, to be an external trainer for ODIHR TAHCLE training courses (on a consultancy basis), or deliver at least one TAHCLE training course or training based on TAHCLE materials per annum in their national context.

Eligibility Criteria

• The course is open to both current and retired law enforcement personnel with specific experience in the field of hate crimes and discrimination from across the OSCE region.
• Law enforcement officers who have previously taken part in a TAHCLE training or training of trainers are also encouraged to apply to refresh their knowledge or to work towards becoming an ODIHR trainer.

Selection Criteria

• The size of the group will be limited to 10 participants, selected according to the following criteria:
  • Current or former law enforcement officer with direct experience of working on hate crimes or discrimination.
  • Experience in delivering training, in particular training on hate crimes or discrimination is desirable.
  • Willingness to act as an international expert trainer to assist ODIHR in delivering hate crime training to law enforcement officers across the OSCE region.
  • Willingness to develop capacity to become a national expert on hate crime and deliver further training courses to colleagues at the national level.
  • Good knowledge of English and ability to actively participate in English.
  • Availability to attend the training for its full duration and readiness to set aside other work activities during the four days.

For more information, visit OSCE.