Labour politicians call for getting more ethnic minority police officers in UK

British police chiefs will be encouraged to favour ethnic minority candidates when it comes to recruitment and promotion, under new proposals from Labour Party.

The pledge to help forces increase the diversity of their officers will be made by the shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, in a speech at the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales (PSAEW) annual conference, the Independent reports.

Latest government figures reveal that although the proportion of black or ethnic minority officers has almost doubled in the past decade, from 2.9 per cent to 5 per cent, progress has slowed between 2011 and 2013

According to the Independent, Cooper said that every force should be required to have policies in place for BAME (black, Asian, minority ethnic) recruitment, retention and promotion.

She said it was time to look at changes to the legal framework to make sure police forces are able to pursue effective targeted recruitment programmes to meet operational needs and reflect their communities, the report added.