22/09/2006

Police force admits rejecting white recruits

Gloucestershire police force has admitted illegally rejecting over 100 potential recruits because they were white men.

The police force admitted 'randomly deselecting' men in order to meet government targets to boost the number of ethnic minority and female recruits in its ranks.

However, one applicant to Gloucestershire Police - thirty-year-old Michael Powell - took legal action when he discovered that he had been 'randomly deselected'.

The force was ordered to pay Mr Powell £2,500 compensation.

Gloucestershire Police have apologised for the action.

Avon and Somerset Police also admitted illegally rejecting almost 200 applicants from white men for the same reason, six months ago.

The government wants 7% of all police officers in England and Wales to be from ethnic minority groups by 2009.

The Police Federation has expressed concerns that more police forces in England and Wales could be doing the same in order to meet the target.

(KMcA/EF)

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