No black or Asian officers were recruited by Sussex Police last year and the force is struggling to meet Government targets.

Home Office figures today show only 30, or one per cent, of the force's 2,900 officers are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

The Government's target is three per cent by 2009 to mirror the ethnic breakdown of the population of Sussex.

Chief Inspector Kul Verma, chair of the Sussex Black Police Officers Association, said the force needed to build a reputation for fairness and equality and had to make sure internal procedures did not discriminate.

"Recruits from all backgrounds would then flock to the force," he said.

Mr Verma said discrimination still existed in the organisation and "can manifest itself overtly and covertly."

An investigation was launched last year when Mr Verma was the target of a racist remark after he had advertised his house for rent on the computer intranet.

The culprit later confessed and was disciplined.

Mr Verma said the public needed to recognise that building trust and confidence among minority ethnics would take time. He said: "It won't change overnight but through the SBPA we have assisted the force with its recruitment strategy which will be running this year.

"We need to build support networks to encourage people to join one of the finest traditions in the world."

The Government's recruitment targets were drawn up after the inquiry into the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence which warned of institutional racism in the police.

The Home Office said the "canteen culture" inside forces must be changed to attract and keep black and Asian people.

Across the country, the total number of ethnic minority officers rose by 410 or 13 per cent but most of the new recruits were in London.

Figures show that the Home Office, the immigration service and the probation service have already exceeded their own 2009 targets for recruitment of black or Asian officials.

Almost one in three of all Home Office staff is now from a minority ethnic group.

A Spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: "Regular reports on the recruitment of ethnic minority officers are given to the meetings of the Sussex Police Authority and these targets are closely monitored.

"The launch of the Black Police Association (BPA) at the end of last year marked the fact that the Force and the BPA are working closely together to meet these targets."