Police told to boost minority recruitment

Published on Friday 8 August 2008 10:27

LOTHIAN and Borders Police has been urged to redouble its efforts to recruit from minority groups after figures showed the number of ethnic officers fell in the last year.

Five officers from ethnic minorities left the force during the past 12 months, taking the total down from 43 to 38.

The current figure represents only 1.3 per cent of the 2905 officers in its ranks, despite a drive in recent years to bolster the numbers.

The force has spearheaded a number of measures to encourage more recruitment, including holding drives at the Mela festival and Chinese New Year celebrations.

But a report has shown only one in every 100 applicants to join up last year came from a member of the ethnic community.