The review will examine police relations with Scotland's ethnic communities

The commission has set up a review of the way officers deal with ethnic minorities and how they investigate racially motivated crime.

It follows an undercover BBC documentary which exposed racism among police recruits in England.

CRE chairman Trevor Phillips said it was vital to combat racism.

The review, costing �100,000, will also address recruitment issues and gauge what protection is offered to potential whistleblowers.

We are trying to make sure that this very important public service serves the public to the best of its ability Trevor Phillips CRE chairman

It will identify areas of good practice and its findings are due to be published next spring.

Doris Littlejohn, who will lead the review, said she aimed to highlight best practice and provide guidance for the eight forces.

Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Phillips said he had travelled north to show his "complete support" for the review.

It would enable police to "uncover" where they needed to improve and make recommendations on how to do so.

"The important thing here is not that we are going looking for racism under the carpet," he said.

"What we are trying to do is to make sure that this very important public service serves the public to the best of its ability."

Mr Phillips said he would use his trip to Scotland to find out more about how police officers operated.

The review will:

• Evaluate the effectiveness of race equality training provided to serving and probationer officers

• Examine all aspects of recruitment and employment experience of serving police staff

• Evaluate the impact that race equality policies have on police operational activity

• Examine and consider public confidence in the police in so far as it impacts on race relations.

New vetting procedures could weed out the sort of people featured in the BBC documentary, which was broadcast in October 2003.

CRE Scotland commissioner Kay Hampton said she was confident the review would help to eradicate racism.

"By commissioning this review the CRE is taking an approach that is both novel and innovative," she said.

"We are taking this approach because we believe that it is more likely to deliver the organisational changes necessary to eradicate racism within Scottish policing and to enhance police forces' ability to promote good race relations in Scotland."

'Corrode communities'

Lothian and Borders Police chief constable Paddy Tomkins said: "We're focusing on making sure that sort of person with those sort of views doesn't get into the police service in the first place.

"We've made great strides in Scotland on selection and recruitment procedures to address this issue.

"I'm confident but not complacent and we need to continue to work in that regard."

Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said there was no place for racism in Scottish society.

"Unchallenged, it can corrode communities and make the daily experiences of some intolerable," she said.

"Fair and equitable policing and the importance we all attach to combating racism are crucial."