New group for Muslims 'will divide the police'

A RELIGIOUS association established to encourage more Muslims to join and stay in the police has been condemned by a race relations champion who was Scotland's first black police officer.

Dinesh Joshi, who recently retired from the Lothian and Borders force, said the new association would only serve to reinforce division within the police.

Before he retired as an inspector two years ago, Mr Joshi worked tirelessly to establish Semper Scotland, an organisation that aims to promote race equality and to support all black and minority ethnic (BME) staff, no matter what religion.

Mr Joshi, who is also the former chairman of the Edinburgh and Lothian Racial Equality Council, said: "My own concern would be that I think we are trying to set up too many organisations to deal with black issues.

"I think it is very important that there is one common organisation that addresses the needs of the black and minority ethnic community and in my opinion Semper Scotland is already doing that."

Strathclyde Police announced it was supporting the creation of Scotland's first Muslim Police Association in an attempt to tackle "Islamaphobia".

However, as Semper Scotland is open to all BME employees, questions have been asked as to why a further organisation is necessary.

"We encourage people to join because we represent everybody, all the religions," said Semper Scotland spokeswoman Sandra Deslandes-Clark.

"We were non-plussed when we found out about this, in particular because Strathclyde is the only force that thinks it is necessary."

The new Muslim Police Association at Strathclyde follows on from the high-profile launch of the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP) earlier this year.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown was at the inaugural NAMP conference, where he said he believed the organisation would help forge links between the state, police and the community.

The most recent figures, published last year, showed there were 32 ethnic minority employees working for Lothian and Borders and just under 200 across Scotland. Scotland has the fastest-growing migrant population in the UK and, last year, Lothian and Borders launched a recruitment drive aimed at attracting Eastern European officers.

When Mr Joshi first joined Lothian and Borders in the 1970s, he says he was a frequent victim of racism.

But the retired inspector believes the force has come a long way in facing up to its problems.

He added: "Individually, people cannot go to their force and say 'this is what I need', but Semper Scotland, which is recognised by all the police forces and the Scottish Government, can take the case on behalf of these individuals.

"I think that the support that is being offered by Semper Scotland is adequate.

"What needs to be done now is for officers from BME communities to engage and that's the way things will happen."

A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said: "The formation of the association was initiated by Muslim officers within the force. The formation of the association is at a very early stage."