SENIOR police officers in York are to hold regular meetings with the city's ethnic minority leaders in an attempt to improve relations and communication.

Police hope the meetings will not only help them gain a greater understanding of York's ethnic communities but also build confidence to encourage more victims of race-hate crime to come forward.

The Evening Press has reported a number of racially motivated crimes in the city in recent months and York police have recorded 54 racial incidents over the last year.

But minority leaders have said these are merely the tip of the iceberg and the real total could be more than twice this number as many victims do not report attacks or harassment to the police.

So now the city's four area inspectors are holding quarterly meetings with the York Racial Equality Network (YREN).

Peter Singh, YREN's development officer, said the meetings had been set up as there was currently little networking and communication between the city's police and its ethnic communities.

He said officers would be offered racial equality training and useful contacts within communities.

"It will be good for minorities as it will give them the opportunities to discuss their concerns, while the police will be able to get the support of these communities that they need," said Mr Singh.

He added: "The city's ethnic minorities respect the police but there has until now been little communication between the two."

Superintendent John Lacy of York police said: "I want my York area commanders to increase their knowledge and understanding of race issues and work more closely with the York Racial Equality Network.

"And I would like to create a better working relationship with ethnic minorities in the city."

Supt Lacy said another aim of the meetings was to gain the trust and confidence of York's minority communities who are often unwilling to report crimes against them to police.

And he added: "The force is determined that racism and disrespect towards any minority group will not be tolerated in York."