Racial discrimination in the UK's 43 police forces will come under public scrutiny following a decision to investigate their recruitment, training and vetting procedures.
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The inquiry is being launched by the UK's Commission for Racial Equality and follows last week's broadcast of a BBC documentary, 'The secret Policeman', which uncovered racism against South Asians in the country's police forces.
The decision to hold the inquiry coincides with the settlement of a race-tinged dispute between the London Metropolitan Police force and Iranian-born Superintendent Ali Dizzies, who was suspended on full pay for two years over dishonesty and corruption charges.
Dizzies is to receive an £80,000 distress payment from the police.
CRE Chairman Trevor Philips has written to the heads of all of UK's police forces asking them for details of their race policies affecting 136,000 officers, 3 per cent of whom are from ethnic minority origins.
Philips announced: "I went to see the home secretary and told him that under the Race Relations Act of 1976, I intend to instigate a formal investigation into the police service across England and Wales. I am glad to say he has agreed to
support my decision."
Philips later told a meeting of the Black Police Association, "This is an independent inquiry and it will be transparent, focused and timely. Police forces have spent 137,000 days on race and diversity training. Unfortunately, no one has taken the trouble to evaluate whether this training did any good."
