Police admit recruits from minority backgrounds may be detered from becoming officers

Struggle: South Yorkshire Police face difficulty recruiting staff from minority groups

In the three months from March last year, no recruits in that category were attracted to the force, which has been increasing its workforce to help meet the Government drive for 20,000 extra officers nationally.

Between May and July, ‘other than white’ recruits accounted for 2.7 per cent of those employed but the figure was back down to two per cent for the following three months.

Overall, ethnic minority candidates accounted for 4.4 per cent of those given jobs with the force.

Senior officers now concede some candidates are being put off by the way their applications are handled.

A report to be heard by the county’s police and crime commissioner, Dr Alan Billings, today, states: “There are elements within the pre-employment checks, including the vetting requirements that indicate there are some barriers which prevent applicants, otherwise successful in the process ultimately joining the force.”

Work has bee going on for years to try to ensure the force reflects the communities that it serves, but that has proved difficult to fulfil.

The report to Mr Billings states:”The attraction of candidates from black or black British communities and converting these applications to police officer and staff joiners is a significant challenge, as despite ongoing positive action work taking place in force; this is not converting into applications from these particular groups.”

Now experts from different areas within the service have worked together to review “attraction and selection methods, as well as the vetting processes to examine the candidate journey and identify any barriers or issues through the various stages of the recruitment process”.

The next step is to ensure there are future activities “that showcase South Yorkshire Police career opportunities to the broadest possible audience,” the report states.

Work has been done to get the recruitment message deeper into communities by using some neighbourhood police officers to spread the word.

That is regarded as ‘innovative practice’ by His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, with SYP one of few forces to use the tactic.