LEADERS of the Polish community in Glasgow have been invited to talks with Strathclyde Police's top officers.
Around 120 people are expected to attend, including Chief Constable Sir Willie Rae, Deputy Chief Constable Margaret Barr and Assistant Chief Constable John Neilson.
The October 11 meeting, at the force's HQ in the city's Pitt Street, is a bid to break down barriers with the 20,000-strong ethnic minority group in the city.
It follows a crackdown on a Polish-run criminal gang who duped immigrant workers to come from Poland to the city and then took their money and left them stranded.
Inspector Jimmy Kirkland, of London Road police station, who was involved in the operation to catch the gang, said: "Those carrying out the criminal activity were a very small minority.
"This meeting will allow us to build links with one of the biggest ethnic minority groups in Glasgow and Scotland."
Inspector Ian McKim, the force's race relations co-ordinator, organised the talks and Alexander Alfer, chairman of the Sikorski club in Parkgrove Terrace, is looking forward to the chance to represent the old Polish community at the meeting.
The 67-year-old, who has lived in Glasgow for 55 years, is married to Scots wife Anne, 63, and has five children and a "crowd of grandchildren".
He said: "It is a very positive move by police."
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