Scotland has fewer than 120 black or Asian officers

The National Black Police Association wants action to be taken on recruiting more officers from ethnic minorities.

However, some senior officers have argued against any move which could be dubbed "tokenism".

A police force in England has been accused of positive discrimination in a recent recruitment drive.

The two-day summit is examining why there are relatively few black and minority ethnic recruits to the police service and what can be done to rectify the balance.

The conference, organised by Semper Scotland - Supporting Ethnic Minority Policing for Equality in Race - was told the country had only 118 Black or Asian officers.

Black or Asian candidates are not applying to the service is because there's a chill factor Ch Supt Ali Dizaei National Black Police Association

Chief Superintendent Ali Dizaei, legal adviser to the National Black Police Association, said: "One of the reasons that black or Asian candidates are not applying to the service is because there's a chill factor.

"They do not see positive role models within the police service.

"Affirmative action is not about reducing standards - that's complete nonsense."

He added: "It's not illegal in the way that it's advocated. This is not about the black or white applicant, it's about the community.

Force criticised

"What we're talking about here is selection among equally qualified candidates but, because of the need to reflect the community, the black candidate is selected first - it's as simple as that."

Avon and Somerset Constabulary was criticised by both rank and file police officers and ethnic minority groups for an over-zealous ethnic recruitment policy.

It rejected nearly 200 job applicants, simply because they were white.