Police chiefs are set to formally propose the abolition of the controversial non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) recording system, with plans to present a new 'common sense' framework to the Home Secretary next month.
A System 'No Longer Fit for Purpose'
According to reports, senior police leaders have concluded that the current practice of logging incidents perceived as motivated by hostility, even where no crime has been committed, is no longer 'fit for purpose'. They argue it has unfairly impacted freedom of speech and diverted valuable police resources away from tackling actual crime.
The radical overhaul is expected to be published in January by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC). It is anticipated that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will back the changes. Lord Herbert, chairman of the College of Policing, stated unequivocally to The Telegraph: "NCHIs will go as a concept. That system will be scrapped and replaced with a completely different system."
What Will Replace the NCHI System?
Under the proposed new model, the broad category of non-crime hate incidents will be eliminated. Instead, police forces will be instructed to treat such reports as intelligence rather than logging them on official crime databases.
Only a very small fraction of the most serious cases would be recorded, and these would be categorised under the most severe tier of anti-social behaviour. This shift means individuals will no longer have to declare such incidents on standard job application checks, removing a significant point of contention.
Officers will be provided with a 'common sense' checklist to guide their decisions, aiming to prevent police intervention in minor online disputes or merely offensive comments, and ensuring focus remains on criminal thresholds.
Metropolitan Police Leads the Way
The move follows the Metropolitan Police's own decision in October to stop investigating non-crime hate incidents. This came after the force took no further action against Graham Linehan, the co-creator of Father Ted, who was arrested in September at Heathrow Airport over a series of social media posts.
Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the case highlighted how officers were left in an "impossible position" by existing rules. A spokesperson stated: "The commissioner has been clear he doesn't believe officers should be policing toxic culture war debates... As a result, the Met will no longer investigate non-crime hate incidents."
This major policy reversal, described by Lord Herbert as a "sea change", aims to provide clearer direction for officers, reduce ambiguity, and allow forces to concentrate on investigating genuine crimes.
