Long Beach

Spurred by criticism from minority groups, the City Council has approved a recruitment program it hopes will increase the number of minorities in the city work force.

The new program, which the council approved by unanimous vote Tuesday, will be run by two full-time recruiters who will work to increase the number of minority applicants for municipal jobs. The recruiters have not yet been hired.

The council’s action follows the release in October of the city’s affirmative action report, which said the city had failed to meet its 1983-84 goals for hiring women, Latinos, Asians and Native Americans.

Under the new program, drawn up by the Long Beach Civil Service Commission, the recruiters are to begin establishing better ties with minority groups and leaders in an effort to increase the number of applicants.