CALLS to fast-track ethnic police officers to top jobs within Greater Manchester Police have been backed by the force's Black and Asian Police Association.

The association has joined GMP Assistant Chief Constable Vince Sweeney in urging the Home Office to allow forces to promote officers to reflect the public's ethnic diversity.

Just 24 - or 4.4 per cent - of Bolton's 546 serving officers come from ethnic minority backgrounds, well below the 11 per cent of the town's population who class themselves as non-white.

Across the Greater Manchester force, just 302 black or Asian officers are in active service and make up just 3.7 per cent of around 8,000 officers.

Only one ethnic minority officer is employed among the top five ranks - as a superintendent. No officers above that rank in the force are of an ethnic minority background.

Charles Crichlow, chairman of the Greater Manchester Black and Asian Police Association, said: "It's essential that the force reflects society if it is going to be successful operationally.

"There's a shortfall at every rank, but what is most alarming is that there are no officers from ethnic minority backgrounds within the top four ranks.

"The force's strategy is being directed by white males and I believe that the majority of black people who live in this country and participate in society would not say that is indicative of an inclusive organisation."

The force faces a race against time to meet a target of seven per cent of officers from ethnic minorities by 2009.

Mr Crichlow said the force would have to alter its image to attract recruits from more diverse backgrounds.

He said that revelations such as the 2003 BBC documentary The Secret Policeman, which uncovered racism among GMP recruits, had damaged the force's hopes of becoming more inclusive.

He said: "The more we hear that we have an inclusive police force, the more people will want to join that organisation. We should want a police force which reflects society as a whole."

A Home Office spokesman said: "The Home Affairs Committee recently looked at whether the law should be changed to allow for positive discrimination within the police service. They were reluctant to recommend this."