Recommendations on Policing in Multi-Ethnic Societies diversity and past history, and can reach out effectively to all different ethnic and national groups. Special efforts may be needed to reach out to and gain the confidence of ethnic and national minorities which have experienced the most severe exclusion and disadvantage. This may require patiently building up relationships of trust with communities and their leaders over a period of time. There are a variety of methods that police may use for developing communication with minorities. Some methods, such as the use of leaflets or radio and television, essentially involve one-way communication and are particularly useful for conveying information. To reach minorities by these means, leaflets in minority languages and broadcasts in the mass media, including in minority languages, should be used. More valuable for building confidence and mutual understanding, however, are interactive methods that involve personal contact and communication between police and minorities. These include the following: a) Community forums. These should have an ethnically representative membership and should meet on a regular basis to discuss issues of mutual concern. Such forums should play a routine consultative role, and serve as a source of information about and better understanding of the local community - and especially minority concerns about the operation of law enforcement agencies. They should also help to bring the national minorities closer to the state institutions, building trust in the police and helping to prevent as well as to defuse tensions. b) Public meetings. These should enable the police to consult with local communities on the widest possible basis. Public meetings should be open to all and should focus on a particular issue. They are especially valuable at times of community tension, as they enable the police to listen directly to the full range of community concerns and to disseminate accurate information about the situation and about the police response. c) Community advisory boards. Community advisory boards serve the specific purpose of advising senior police officers how the police role can be carried out most effectively in the context of the local community, including matters such as the policing of ethnic conflicts, dealing with issues of discrimination, and engaging in community consultation. Police should invite as members of advisory boards people whom they consider have the relevant skills and experience to give them such advice. They should be people who can give 25