Black officers 'victimised'

Merseyside Police said it disputed the claims

A black police association has said it will "actively discourage" new recruits from joining Merseyside Police.

It comes ahead of a TV documentary on Tuesday that alleges racism at a North West police training centre.

The Merseyside Black Police Association (MBPA) has said it fully supports its national equivalent's stance of withdrawing support from any recruiting initiatives.

However, Merseyside Police rejected the claims and branded them "divisive".

The move comes ahead of BBC One's The Secret Policeman programme, which alleges an officer dressed in a Ku Klux Klan-type costume and claims to have recorded racist comments made by some officers.

Greater Manchester Police suspended three of its officers and North Wales Police suspended one officer on Monday after senior detectives viewed footage of the documentary.

Merseyside Police continues to discriminate and victimise against black staff Merseyside Black Police Association

In a statement, the MBPA said new recruits were at risk of suffering racism.

It said: "The MBPA will not endorse any recruitment drive for black staff initiated by Merseyside Police and will actively discourage potential recruits from joining Merseyside Police.

"It is irresponsible for the MBPA to support recruitment from black and Asian communities in the knowledge that such recruits are at risk of suffering racism.

"Merseyside Police has been identified as one of the forces who have failed to learn from the Stephen Lawrence enquiry.

"Merseyside Police continues to discriminate and victimise against black staff. The MBPA supports a number of officers currently taking [the force] to employment tribunal."

Claims rejected

But Merseyside Police said it "absolutely" rejected the MBPA's claims.

A spokesman said: "We're continually impressed by the number of ethnic minority officers who come forward and join the force and, of course, stay in Merseyside.

"In fact only one ethnic minority officer has left the force in the past two and a half years.

"We work tirelessly to ensure these sort of divisive comments don't create problems where they don't exist."

The Secret Policeman documentary follows undercover reporter Mark Daly, as he trained to become a Greater Manchester Police officer.

He was arrested in August on suspicion of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception and damaging police property.

He is due to answer bail in November.