Police urge black and ethnic minority applicants to join force

West Mercia Police is using the opportunity of Black History Month in October to urge more people from black, Asian and other minority ethnic communities to join as police officers.

Black History Month was first celebrated in October 1987 in the UK, and provides the opportunity for everyone to celebrate the contribution people of Black African, Black Caribbean, Asian and other minority ethnic groups in shaping British history, society and culture, helping to make Britain a better place to be.

Assistant chief constable Rachel Jones said: “The nature of policing means that we interact with people from different backgrounds every day. It is important that we understand and are sensitive to individuals' differences, so we can provide an appropriately tailored policing service. To do this, we need to employ a workforce that is reflective of our communities.

“We’re committed to improving the way we work in the future. Our initiatives, such as Positive Action, are already having a positive effect on our representation, which will enable us to build an inclusive workforce providing a better service to the public. Importantly, we also want to continue to engage and consult on policing with people from diverse communities and would welcome volunteers to join our Independent Advisory Groups.”

Police and crime commissioner John Campion added: “As West Mercia Police continues to grow, so too should the proportion of our officers and staff who are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. Initiatives such as the Step Programme are already making a difference by ensuring officers and staff have a fair and equal opportunity to join and progress a career within the force.”

For more information on West Mercia Police’s career opportunities and the various programmes of support for applicants and employees, go to westmercia.police.uk and click on Careers.