Diversity Targets 'Unrealistic' Say Police Chiefs

By 2009 7% of all police forces were supposed to be Asian or black.

At present 3.5% of Britain's 140,000 officers are from ethnic minorities.

The Association of Chief Police Officers says the law does not allow them to recruit Asian and black candidates fast enough, and that their attempts to get the law changed to allow positive discrimination have been rebuffed.

Cheshire's chief constable, Peter Fahy, and Acpo spokesman on race and diversity issues, said: "We have to hold our hands up. What the police force has failed to do is get across the business and operational case for diversity. We've lost the diversity argument with our own staff, the popular press and public overall. They see it solely in terms of political correctness."

Mr Fahy said the Home Office had accepted in principle the new police plan. Every year forces will now aim to recruit a similar percentage of recruits from ethnic minorities as exists in the working population of areas they serve. Ethnic minorities are 7% of Britain, but make up 8% of the "economically active" population.

To read the full article please click Diversity Target 'Unrealistic' Say Police Chiefs