DORSET Police have responded to claims its force under-represents diverse communities amid the recruitment of new officers.

Figures from the Home Office reveal Dorset Police recruited 45 new officers in the nine months to the end of 2020, but of the 44 new recruits who declared their ethnicity, just two were Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Groups.

It leaves Dorset Police with 22 BAME officers overall, accounting for 1.8 percent of the 1,224 officers whose ethnicity was recorded.

A Dorset Police spokesman said: "The national Police Uplift Programme has provided the force with an opportunity to recruit 50 additional officers to its normal recruitment schedule by the end of March 2021 and further additional officers by March 2022 - this is a once in a generation opportunity to enable greater representation."

The police said they have made 'significant investment' in a Positive Action team to focus on further building relationships with underrepresented communities to attract a diversity of talent.

However, the National Black Police Association (NBPA) say police forces need to show more ambition in recruiting officers from BAME backgrounds, while the National Police Chiefs Council accepts 'much more needs to be done'.

Dorset Police said BAME people account for 4 percent of the population the force serves.

This is reflected across England and Wales as a whole, where 7.5 percent of officers are BAME despite people from BAME backgrounds making up 14.5 percent of the population.

However, that was a rise from 7.3 percent in March last year, and 4.7 percent in March 2010.

"To achieve a broader inclusivity, our current focus is ensuring greater representation of all BAME and improved female representation," said the police spokesman.

"While existing BAME police officer representation currently stands at 1.8 percent, the Force is now realising a 4.5 percent BAME year-to-date joiner rate - a significant improvement on previous years.

"We're confident the opportunity of the Uplift Programme combined with new entry routes such as Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship and Degree Holder Entry Programme specifically for detectives, alongside of our Positive Action support, will reflect further positive impact upon the communities that join the service over the coming years.