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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Police heads debate ethnic quotas | Police heads debate ethnic quotas |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Chief Constables in England and Wales are to discuss whether to boost the recruitment of black and Asian officers by positive discrimination. | Chief Constables in England and Wales are to discuss whether to boost the recruitment of black and Asian officers by positive discrimination. |
| The plan to be debated by the Association of Chief Police Officers would need employment law changes - a move not favoured by the Home Office. | The plan to be debated by the Association of Chief Police Officers would need employment law changes - a move not favoured by the Home Office. |
| Some 3.7% of officers are from ethnic minorities, but the Home Office target is to achieve 7% by 2009. | Some 3.7% of officers are from ethnic minorities, but the Home Office target is to achieve 7% by 2009. |
| Acpo says this cannot be reached if positive discrimination stays banned. | Acpo says this cannot be reached if positive discrimination stays banned. |
| Fast-track system | |
| Peter Fahy, chief constable of Cheshire, who speaks for Acpo on race and diversity, is calling for a debate on amending the law. | Peter Fahy, chief constable of Cheshire, who speaks for Acpo on race and diversity, is calling for a debate on amending the law. |
| Under the changes being considered, black and Asian recruits with the necessary qualifications would be fast-tracked, to meet quotas set by each force. | |
| Female candidates would also be given priority to boost numbers. | Female candidates would also be given priority to boost numbers. |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the Home Office had indicated it would prefer to work within existing laws to increase the numbers from ethnic minorities applying to join the police. | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the Home Office had indicated it would prefer to work within existing laws to increase the numbers from ethnic minorities applying to join the police. |
| But Keith Jarrett, President of the National Black Police Association, said he supported the use of affirmative action. | |
| He told the BBC: "If we look at Hounslow in London, it's a borough that is predominantly from a minority ethnic background. | |
| "Now whilst my white colleagues are immensely qualified to do the job, I would put forward that Hounslow would be better served as a borough by a person from an Asian background, who has got culture in common with the local inhabitants, and perhaps speaks the same language." | |
| Nick Johnson, from the Commission for Racial Equality, said there were better ways of addressing the problem of under-representation. | |
| "Positive action is about going into certain communities, targeting resources, targeting promotional work, building up training and development - that's something we would support. | |
| "Picking someone simply because of the colour of their skin for a job is not something we would support." | |
| 'Fair and square' | |
| British Transport Police officer Trina Allen told BBC News she did not feel she had been given special treatment when she had applied for her job. | |
| She said: "I'd hate to think that I'd get my job because of my colour. I've been through the entire process and at no point there was anything hidden to say 'apply because you're black'." | |
| Chaz Singh, who was turned down by the force, said it would not be right to get the job because of a person's colour. | |
| "I didn't get the job fair and square. It didn't go any further than that," he said. | |
| "But to turn round and now be received in the sense that I could apply for a job because of my colour, I think that's wrong. I don't think colour should come before ability." |