Training against Hate Crimes for Law Enforcement in Germany

About the event

From 16 to 18 June 2026, ODIHR, together with the Hamburg Police University of Applied Sciences, the Berlin School of Economics and Law and the Police Academy of Lower Saxony, will organize a Training Against Hate Crimes for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) Train-the-Trainer Workshop in Hamburg.

Strengthening responses to hate crime

The workshop will bring together police trainers and officers from specialist hate crime units from the German federal states of Berlin, Hamburg and Lower Saxony. The training is based on ODIHR’s TAHCLE programme and has been adapted to the German context and legal framework.

Hate crimes can have a profound impact not only on individual victims but also on entire communities. Through its TAHCLE programme, ODIHR supports participating States in strengthening the capacity of law enforcement agencies to recognize, investigate and respond effectively to hate crimes, while ensuring that victims are treated with sensitivity and respect.

Building practical skills

During the workshop, participants will explore the concept of hate crime as used across the OSCE region and examine its application within the German legal and institutional framework. They will strengthen their knowledge and practical skills in identifying bias indicators, recording hate crimes, conducting investigations and supporting victims.

The training will also encourage participants to reflect on personal biases and consider how these may affect professional decision-making and interactions with victims and communities. Through practical exercises and peer learning, participants will develop tools and approaches that can be applied in their daily work.

Preparing trainers for long-term impact

On the final day, participants will practice delivering training sessions themselves and receive feedback from their peers and facilitators. Following the workshop, the trained trainers will integrate the materials into existing police training curricula and contribute to the further development of hate crime and training on criminal offences involving hateful expression for police officers in Berlin, Hamburg and Lower Saxony.

Partnership and support

The workshop is funded under the Partnership Initiative of the European Commission High-Level Group on combating hate crime and hate speech and ODIHR.