§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what initiatives he has taken to promote the recruitment of special constables among members of the ethnic minority communities. [66935]
§ Mr. BoatengAs part of Specials Week, a week in January to highlight the Special Constabulary and assist police forces with their campaigns to recruit more special constables, I visited events in four force areas specifically targeting ethnic communities.
Cleveland Police held an open day at the Racial Equality Council offices in Middlesbrough on 11 January during which I launched Specials Week. In Bradford, West Yorkshire ethnic minority special constables are involved in a scheme in which they work in their own communities promoting community safety initiatives and recruitment to the Special Constabulary.
The 50 members of the West Midlands Police Authority, many of whom are from ethnic minority communities, have agreed to take part in a programme to each recruit a person from their community to the Special Constabulary. Leicestershire Constabulary invited representatives from local religious, ethnic and business groups to an event at a community centre in Leicester to recognise the work of special constables within the ethnic communities.
All these forces, and others with high ethnic minority populations, are developing good working relationships with the ethnic communities through the work of the regular force and the contribution of special constables.
In addition, last November the Home Office invited police forces to staff a stand at the Mega Mela exhibition at the Birmingham NEC, an event in celebration of the Asian culture. Asian officers, including special constables, were able to talk to visitors about what it is like to work for the police and encourage applicants to the service.
A copy of a recruitment leaflet produced for the event has been placed in the Library.