Muslim police officers have set up a group to help improve people’s understanding of Islam and to advance the needs of Muslim officers.

The Thames Valley Muslim Police Association is aimed at helping the force’s 60 Muslim staff and officers. It is, however, open to all members of the force, whether Muslim or not.

Pc Raja Yousaf, chairman of the association, said: “We hope it will help in the recruitment, retention and progression of Muslim police officers and staff, and strengthen the bridges between the police and local communities.

“It will also help cultivate a better understanding of Islam and Muslim culture within the force, which is bound to help neighbourhood policing teams as they engage with communities.”

Chief Supt Brendan O’Dowda, Oxfordshire’s police commander, spoke at the launch of the association on Monday.

He said: “I made the suggestion that on September 11, 2001, it wasn’t just a number of planes that were hijacked.

“I’m of the view Islam was hijacked– and the broader Muslim community.

“Being a Muslim police officer is difficult because there’s a lack of understanding within the community and within the force about what it’s like to be the victim of Islamophobia.”

Mr O’Dowda said he hoped the new group would help officers working with the Muslim community.

He said: “It will help us as an organisation and me as a leader build up trust and confidence in the police.”

Pc Javid Ul-Haq, who grew up in Oxford and is based at St Aldate’s police station, said the group planned to meet once a month. He said: “We want to help Thames Valley Police, the community and each other – the group is open to everybody in the force.”

Last week, Thames Valley Police launched a campaign to recruit more ethnic minorities.

In Oxfordshire, 4.4 per cent of police officers are Black or Asian, up from 2.2 per cent in 2007.

Sgt Pinder Parkes, the county’s first female Asian officer, said: “We have communities of Black and Asian people and I believe ideally they would like to speak to a black or Asian officer.

“The cultural background of an officer is vital to the force.”

The police campaign will feature advertisements as well as recruitment days at community centres.

Deputy Chief Constable Francis Habgood said: “Throughout 2008, we experienced a steady increase in the number of people from minority ethnic communities joining the force.”

But he added: “We want that increase to accelerate so we are truly representative of the communities we serve.”