Police Vetting: Levels, Standards, and Failures

All police officers and staff in England and Wales are subject to vetting before appointment and at intervals throughout their service. The vetting framework is set by the College of Policing's Vetting Code of Practice and the Vetting Authorised Professional Practice (APP). Following the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Metropolitan Police officer in 2021, police vetting came under intense scrutiny, leading to the Casey Review (2023) and a College of Policing review of vetting standards.

There are three levels of vetting. Recruitment Vetting (RV) applies to all new recruits and includes checks against the Police National Computer (PNC), the Police National Database (PND), credit reference agencies, open source intelligence, and references. It also includes vetting of close associates. Management Vetting (MV) is required for officers who will have access to sensitive intelligence or who will work in covert roles. Developed Vetting (DV) is the highest level and applies to those requiring access to Top Secret material or national security information.

Vetting decisions are made by the force vetting unit and can result in clearance being granted, refused, or revoked. Factors that may lead to refusal include: criminal convictions, associations with known criminals, financial vulnerability (such as significant debt), and dishonesty during the vetting process. A refusal can be appealed. Existing officers may have their vetting reviewed if new information comes to light, and vetting can be revoked if an officer is found to present an unacceptable risk.

The Baroness Casey Review of the Metropolitan Police (2023) found systemic failures in vetting, including inadequate checks on transferees from other forces, insufficient scrutiny of social media, and a culture of under-reporting concerns about colleagues. The College of Policing subsequently strengthened the Vetting Code of Practice, requiring more rigorous social media checks, enhanced scrutiny of transferees, and a requirement to revoke vetting where officers are subject to criminal investigation for offences involving violence, sexual misconduct, or abuse of position.