Rising levels of race hate attacks in Northern Ireland have led policing chiefs to unveil a new offensive against the thugs today.
Assaults on gays and lesbians are also to be fought as part of a £774 million strategy for running the force over the next year.
For the first time, moves to crack down on crimes motivated by hatred have been included in the latest Policing Plan.
The document sets out a list of targets which chief constable Hugh Orde must meet while the Police Service of Northern Ireland continues with the biggest reform programme of its type ever undertaken. He must solve more murders, increase drugs seizures and strengthen public confidence in the PSNI, the plan stresses.
But with Asians and Africans in parts of Belfast being forced to flee their homes as attacks soared by 30 per cent in the last year, the Northern Ireland Policing Board has brought in a new target.
Mr Orde has been told to monitor the number of racist or homophobic incidents.
Although the plan sets out the challenge facing the PSNI for the next 12 months, it also forms part of a rolling three-year strategy that runs until 2007.
PA