The home secretary has moved to defuse a fresh race row in the Metropolitan Police.

The attempt comes just days after the Metropolitan Black Police Association warned ethnic minorities against joining the force.

The decision followed the acquittal of Asian officer Superintendent Ali Dizaei after a four-year probe into claims that he endangered national security, took drugs and employed the services of prostitutes.

Speaking to the National Black Police Association in Cardiff, David Blunkett called on all sides to move on from the row.

"Last week we had a public profile for one part of the service which all of us would want to put right and put behind us," he said.

"Only by addressing the issues can this be achieved. Only by coming together can we make the continuing improvements possible."

The home secretary insisted the police must reflect the communities they seek to serve.

"An effective, modern, visible and community focused service is vital if we are to maintain delivery and achieve the civil renewal and engagement agenda that we're promoting," he added.

"Not least because we're endeavouring to get over a history of less than acceptable approaches to diversity as a nation and, historically, amongst the police service.

"To get the best, whatever their background, the service has to be attractive to the best. White, black, Asian, whatever, who wants to be part of a service without modern service values?"

Despite the recent race row, Blunkett claimed that the "demographics of the police service are changing".

"With the recruitment of a wider, more diverse police staff, we are already seeing a vastly different organisation to even 10 years ago, which will and must reflect the communities they serve," he said.

"We have record numbers of police officers, with the number of minority ethnic officers increasing by over 50 per cent since targets were set in 1999.

"And it's not just about officers. Minority ethnic representation of police staff is currently at six per cent, already ahead of the 2004 milestone of five per cent."

And Blunkett added that the police must recruit and retain officers from "diverse communities".

"We need them to be retained, well trained and open for promotion," he said.

"This is vital for effective community based policing in which the communities have confidence in the police, and the police can be confident that the communities will work with them in preventing and tackling crime."