Police chiefs have started a major consultation scheme with the district's ethnic minorities and urged them to boost the number of black and Asian recruits joining the force.

Bradford police are running a series of seminars and recruitment events throughout the district in a bid to bridge gaps between the force and local communities.

Sergeant Jonathan Pickles, Bradford District Community and Race Relations Officer, said: "We want to give people the chance to meet us face to face so they can voice any concerns they have, ask us any questions and also find out about opportunities within the police and its support trades."

The scheme is being jointly run with the Minorities Police Liaison Committee and the next recruitment event takes place at the Sangat Centre, Marlborough Street, Keighley, between 6pm and 9pm on Monday.

Parveen Singh, the committee's project manager, stressed the event was not only open to potential recruits but to their families as well.

"It is often the case that the head of a family will have a major influence on their children's choice of career.

"We want to help dispel any negative attitudes they have about the police and to highlight the potential opportunities available."

He added: "Both the seminars and recruitment events have given us some very good feedback. One of the major concerns we have received is that the police force doesn't reflect the make-up of the local community.

"That is what we are trying to address with these recruitment events."

Sgt Pickles said that events included the chance to speak to ethnic minority officers, from probationary constables to senior officers.

"I think it is important they are able to speak to ethnic minority officers about their own experience, as well as having experts on hand to give them information about all aspects of the force."

Although the events were aimed at ethnic minorities, they were open to anyone who wanted to join the police, he said.

For more information on Monday's event, contact Saiqah Rauf on (01274) 777440 or Ghulam Rabani on (01535) 610263.