The department has been trying diligently to attract minority officers, he said.

He would devote $2 million to improve the recruitment of minority officers, doubling the money now available for such efforts.

By this time, however, the department had a significant percentage of minority officers.

That holds true for minority officers as well, the union says.

The naval group recommended more funds for recruiting minority officers.

"Most minority officers I speak to say they would never let their kids come on this job," he said.

The number of minority officers, however, has remained small.

Finally, a residency rule would help the department beef up its ratio of minority officers.

Look at the dearth of senior minority officers in the Met these days, he says.

The one large unit has been broken into eight smaller ones, and about 50 minority officers have been added.