The four charts that expose the 'incredible' lack of diversity in Britain's police

None of England and Wales' 43 police forces are representative of their local population

None of England and Wales (PA)

Theresa May has launched a scathing attack on the "incredible" lack of diversity in the 43 police forces in England and Wales.

She used her speech to the National Black Police Association tell forces they must increase their proportion of black and minority ethnic (BME) representation after her department published stark figures that reveal the extent to which police forces in the UK have so far failed to become racially representative of the communities they serve.

The statistics from the Home Office also reveal the lack of women in the police force.

The figures were exposed after Ms May announced the publication of a force-by-force overview of the proportion of BME and female officers.

Here are four charts - and two stark figures - that expose the lack of diversity in our police:

11

This is the number of police forces in England and Wales that have no BME officers at chief inspector level or above the worst performing forces

4

The number of police forces in England and Wales that have no black police officers at all (Cheshire, Durham, Dyfed-Powys and North Yorkshire).

Ms May said: "This is simply not good enough."

"Increasing diversity in our police forces is not an optional extra. It goes right to the heart of this country's historic principle of policing by consent,” she added.

"We must ensure that the public have trust and confidence in the police, and that the police reflect the communities they serve."

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, has said he wants to change the law that would effectively allow forces to impose BME recruitment quotas.