A Sussex detective has been suspended on suspicion of racism.

The news comes as Chief Constable Ken Jones considers plans to use covert tactics to root out anyone in the force with racist, sexist or homophobic views.

The detective constable is alleged to have told a female officer her ethnicity had helped her win promotion.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "We take any allegation of this nature extremely seriously."

The officer is facing a disciplinary tribunal and could be sacked.

Mr Jones wants officers to inform on colleagues if they utter sexist, homophobic or racist remarks and to sign an anti-discrimination declaration.

He was disgusted by a TV documentary showing racist behaviour by recruits.

Five officers in West Midlands, Cheshire and North Wales resigned after the programme was aired.

The chief has asked all the force's 4,500 officers and staff to watch the programme.

He said: "My sense of dismay and anger has deepened. I am determined that good must come from this."

Rank and file officers expressed support for the chief's crackdown but there were concerns it might go too far.

One said: "If the force intends spying on officers when they are off duty it might infringe the officers' civil liberties.

"All police should show exemplary behaviour at all times, on or off duty, but this smacks of Big Brother and 1984."

Graham Alexander, spokesman for the Sussex branch of the Police Federation, said there was a danger the force was moving toward "thought police" and he would have reservations about officers being monitored outside work.

He said: "I would not want to see hidden cameras but I do agree we can't hide from the need to confront this issue."

He counselled against "shock-horror, kneejerk reactions" and said careful debate was needed.

The Commission for Racial Equality yesterday announced it was to launch an investigation into racism in the police service.