AN INVESTIGATION has been launched after a study indicated that Lancashire's black population was being unfairly targeted by police.

The 3,000 black people in the county are more likely to be stopped and searched, arrested, given fines for disorder and driving offences, and asked to take a breath test.

In addition, black victims of violence are less likely to see their attacker caught.

The only positive was that black people were slightly more likely overall to have crimes against them solved.

Asian people were also found to have been stopped and searched more than white people, but the level was not as high as that for black people.

The figures were revealed as government statistics showed that the number of racist incidents reported to police in the county had increased over the past year by 9per cent, from 1,923 to 2,103.

Police bosses, while acknowledging there was work to do surrounding the "disproportionality", said the figures still meant Lancashire Constabulary was performing better than the majority of other forces in the country which had the same problems.

However senior bosses have still ordered that an investigation is carried out over the next year in a bid to discover the underlying reasons.

The statistics were revealed in the Blue Band Report, Lancashire police's annual analysis of its relations with people from ethnic minorities.

Coun Howard Gore, member for diversity for the Police Authority, said they did not have to publish the report, but did so for "transparency and openness".

He added: "There is clearly work to be done and work is underway to try and encourage black people to work with police, and for officers to try and understand their issues.

"If you look at the actual figures for black people, and not the percentages, and divide it by 365 days in the year you find they are rarely stopped and searched."

The report shows that black people are around three times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people.