§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will update the advice to police authorities and chief constables on recruiting a multi-racial police service; and if he will publish it. [39170]
§ Mr. MichaelThe Inspectorate's thematic inspection report by Her Majesty's Chief Inspectorate of Constabulary "Winning the Race. Policing Plural Communities" which was published in October 1997 (copies of which are in the Library), includes "a guide to assist forces in the area of ethnic minority recruitment" which should provide a helpful checklist of action for forces to take. My right hon. Friend has made it clear that he expects each police force in England and Wales to consider the conclusions of the report and to act on its findings during the course of 1998. Later this year chief constables will be asked to report on action taken.
No specific advice is issued to police authorities and chief constables on recruiting a multi-racial police service but it is the responsibility of chief officers of police forces in England and Wales, with the assistance of their police authorities, to ensure that their forces represent the communities they serve. Each chief officer is responsible for the recruitment of officers to his or her force, including initiatives to encourage greater numbers of people from ethnic minorities to join. Home Office police recruitment literature expresses the total commitment to create a police service which reflects the diversity of Britain's population in the late 1990s.