THE face of Lancashire's police force could change forever after the launch of a new recruitment campaign.

And the constabulary has also announced £160,000 is being invested in the scheme in a bid to ensure it is a success.

The force has been told by Home Secretary Jack Straw to dramatically increase the number of recruits from ethnic minorities.

Blackburn MP and Home Secretary Jack Straw is pushing for more black and Asian officers in the light of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.

Lancashire has 39 Asian and black officers out of a force of more than 3,000 and Jack Straw wants a dramatic improvement.

The aim is to increase the number of ethnic minority officers over the next 10 years.

A radical shake-up of recruitment policies is also taking place and the police are hoping to attract a new breed of officer.

The new measures are being tested in Blackburn and were unveiled at a careers convention at Bangor Street Community Centre.

The area's police commander Chief Superintendent Eddie Walsh was at the event along with recruitment manager Thelma Aye.

Mrs Aye said: "Some people might see our effort to reach the ethnic community as positive discrimination, in actual fact it is positive action.

"We will continue to have very high standards and admit only the very best people."

She added: "Although no formal qualifications are needed to be a police officer, applicants need to be intelligent, courageous and have the stability and resilience to cope with modern day police work.

"Colour, gender and sexual orientation are irrelevant. What matters is a person's potential to do the job."

Adam Patel of Blackburn's Race Relations Forum was at the launch and is backing the campaign. He said: "We are facing challenges to create a fairer society in education, in health, in welfare and in employment.

"The police have an exceptionally important role to play in providing society with those feelings of belonging and security.

"It is essential that the make-up of Lancashire police reflect the local communities as a whole - not only in numbers recruited but also in the opportunities for progressing their careers."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.