A woman officer last night told of how she overcame family pressures to join West Midlands Police in a bid to make a difference to the Asian community.

Salma Jabeen, a beat manager at Kings Heath police station, said she went against family wishes and joined the force to break down barriers between the service and the wider community.

Speaking at a meeting in Birmingham on the role of Muslim women in British society, she said: "It was an issue with my family, when I told them I was joining the police force it was unacceptable. Luckily I have got a really independent mother who had left her violent husband and she supported me.

"I recognised the barriers between the police and the community. There is a lack of understanding of religion and culture with Asian families. I joined to help the community and to make a difference."

The 26-year-old said certain aspects of her religion clashed with her job, such as being on the beat with a male officer.

"I know it is against Islam to be with an unknown man but I don't have an issue with it, I trust my team, I trust everyone of them with my life," she said.

"A lot of Asian women are now being given the opportunity to get a career and an education, that is certainly changing and has changed dramatically in the last couple of years."

The 26-year-old, who joined the force as a recruitment officer before training as a policewoman, said she was shocked at the lack of ethnic minorities within the force.

She said just 6.22 per cent of officers in West Midlands Police were from minority backgrounds, with the highest ranking female Muslim officer a sergeant.

Pc Jabeen said efforts were being made to increase the number of ethnic minority recruits, with plans for prayer rooms to be provided for officers at police stations and a specially designed headscarf for Muslim women.

"Language is the main barrier between the community and police, you could go to a house and nobody can speak English. We have officers who can only speak English and can't understand what is being said," she said.

The meeting, organised by the Islamic Society of Britain to mark International Women's Day, was organised to highlight an increase in the number of Muslim women in high profile jobs.

Among the speakers was Salma Yaqoob, chairman of Stop the War Coalition in Birmingham. She said she had faced many obstacles when deciding to take a stand against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Being a Muslim women in Britain is a challenge and also a great opportunity to dispel the stereotypes. I know how moved I felt when people just acknowledged what was happening, it moved me, it encouraged me to come out and that is all you have to do.

"There are barriers within Muslim communities, some Muslims are still very scared to speak out and I have to say to them that it is OK to speak out. There are also those who don't want to be put in a margin and they just want to blend in.

"It is totally understandable that people just want to blend in but when it comes to right and wrong, people don't always have that luxury," she said.

Also speaking at the event, at Carrs Lane Church in the city centre, was Shahin Fazil-Aslam, deputy headteacher at St Saviour's Church of England School in Saltley, where 99 per cent of pupils are Muslim.

Mrs Fazil-Aslam said the faith school had helped pupils celebrate their religions rather than shy away from them, something many had done after the events of September 11.

"They are quite proud of their religion and that is very important, to put religion in a positive light," she said.