POLICE are declaring war on hate crime with a scheme that has been more than a year in the planning.

Working with a variety of other agencies, the North Yorkshire force plans to tackle all aspects of hate-motivated crime. Their scheme is expected to be monitored closely by other forces considering a similar move.

The initiative, known as Diversity Incorporating Safer Communities (Disc), has been designed to promote the acceptance and understanding of all people in the community.

It will also support vulnerable people who become the victims of hate crime, such as racial abuse or attacks, homophobic incidents, domestic violence and those who are victimised because of learning or physical disabilities.

The force's diversity development officer, Kathy Anderson, said: "For a variety of reasons hate crime is under-reported and under-recorded in the county. The force has been working with a number of other agencies, including Social Services, welfare, housing education and community groups, to obtain a clearer picture of what is happening on the ground. When that is established we can begin to tackle the issues on a multi-agency basis."

Disc is also about raising awareness and North Yorkshire is the first force to introduce a comprehensive system to record accurately all aspects of hate crime. For victims who have previously been reluctant to report crime personally, self-reporting forms are available from community venues and support agencies.

Ms Anderson said: "Disc is as much about prevention as detection and tackling the fear of crime as much as actual crime itself. We are aiming to raise awareness both within our own staff and within the community at large.

"With these types of incidents we will be quite happy if the reported crime rate increases, as it will mean that confidence in the police in our area within the affected groups is increasing."

l The scheme has a website: www.nypdisc.org.u