HAMPSHIRE constabulary is launching a drive to recruit people from ethnic minority communities to become advisors on race relations.

A panel of Independent Advisers is being set up by the force in the hope of fostering better relations with members of minority communities.

Leading the recruitment drive is Chief Insp Andy Mallett. He said: "We are hoping that the panel of advisers will help us broaden our understanding of all members of the community we serve. We want to get better at making good contacts within ethnic communities and encouraging people from those communities who at the moment may not feel comfortable about approaching the police."

Just over 60 of the constabulary's 3,600 officers are from ethnic communities, but the panel is aimed at fostering better links with groups who may feel disengaged from the police.

An advisory panel already exists in Southampton.

Naresh Sonchhatla, a spokesman for the Hindu temple in the city, is on the panel for the city.

He said: "It is an important way for communities to let the police know about issues that are important to them, exchange information and a way of reinforcing the message that the police are there for everyone."

The independent advisers could be consulted during major incidents when decisions have to be made at speed that affect different communities, particularly following the London bombings.

Chief Insp Mallett said: "It is all aimed at having a pool of knowledge that we can turn to quickly when decisions we are making might affect communities in ways that we hadn't anticipated.

"An example would be following the atrocities in London we were considering putting police officers on guard at mosques in case of any backlash towards the Muslim community. However, having consulted leaders within the community they felt that would not be appropriate and in fact possibly draw attention to them, so we didn't do it."

Chief Insp Mallet said the move was not as a result of an increase in race hate crime in the county.

Last year's crime figures from April 2004 to March this year showed 1,566 reports of race hate incidents, up from 1,409 reported in the year 2003/04.

Chief Insp Mallett said: "We did not see any real increase in race hate crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight following the bombings in London.

"What the advisors are about is breaking down some of the barriers that members of minority communities might feel exist and instil a confidence in them about how the police can help."