Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said a new law allowing police officers who fail vetting to be automatically sacked will help heal ‘damaged’ public trust.
The law change will mean passing background checks becomes a legal requirement for all servicing officers across England and Wales.
Cooper told Metro the move would end the ‘extraordinary’ situation where those with ‘a history of allegations of domestic abuse, sex offending or other concerning intelligence’ have been able to keep their job.
Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: ‘The ability to hold a vetting clearance is the most basic indication of whether someone can be trusted to hold the extensive and often intrusive powers that police officers are given. It was never right that an officer could lose their vetting, but not lose their job.
‘These reforms close that glaring gap in the law and will allow us to move swiftly to remove those who have no place in policing.
‘This matters not just for the public we serve but for the vast majority of hardworking officers who should be able to feel safe, have full trust in those they work alongside and have the confidence of the public.’
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Those words were echoed by the Home Secretary, who said: ‘Public trust in policing has been damaged in recent years, as a result of very serious cases where officers fell below all proper policing standards, yet essential action wasn’t taken to remove them.
‘The whole point of vetting is to identify the risk someone might pose to the public, to their colleagues, or to the force.
‘So it is just extraordinary that until now an officer who has failed vetting because they have a history of allegations of domestic abuse, sex offending or other concerning intelligence has been able to remain in policing.
‘That must change. We came into office last year on a manifesto commitment to boost public confidence in policing, and that is why in our first months in government we have announced major reforms to ensure the highest standards are maintained.’
She continued: ‘That starts with ensuring that those who fail vetting can be dismissed.
‘Later this year we will be further strengthening national vetting standards and ensuring there’s a legal requirement that every force follows them.
‘Officers suspected of violence against women and girls should have no place working with the public, and we will make it easier to suspend them in these cases.
‘We will also ensure convictions for serious criminal offences will automatically lead to gross misconduct and an expectation that these officers will be fired.’
The new system for dismissals will come into effect on May 14, the Home Office said.
An independent review last year called for the police vetting system to be overhauled followed the conviction of Wayne Couzens for the abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard.
Other high-profile incidents, like the case of serial rapist David Carrick, have raised questions about the standard of police background checks.
The Home Office said the current situation means officers can stay in the force on full pay even if it is decided they are not fit to face the public.
Matt Vickers MP, Shadow Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire, said: ‘The previous Conservative government took decisive action to clean up policing by giving police chiefs power to remove officers guilty of serious misconduct or who are poorly performing.
‘While we welcome these measures that build on our reforms, Labour are still getting the basics badly wrong. Police funding is in crisis as Rachel Reeves’ Job Tax swallowed up a fifth of force funding.
‘Worse still, Labour continue to waste police time monitoring tweets instead of catching criminals. That’s why the Conservatives are tabling an amendment to scrap Non-Crime Hate Incidents.
‘We need more bobbies on the beat and the public deserve a force that’s properly funded, fit for purpose, and focused on keeping communities safe.’
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Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vetting, said the NPCC ‘welcomed the announcement’.
Police Federation of England and Wales Acting Deputy National Secretary and Conduct & Performance Lead, Mel Warnes, added: ‘The overwhelming majority of police officers for whom vetting is never an issue will appreciate the clarity which has finally come on this issue. Police officers take immense pride in their oath, and they do not wish to serve alongside anyone who fails to uphold the values and standards that are demanded from them.
‘As a police officer those who take and uphold the oath subjects them to an unparalleled level of internal and external scrutiny. It is essential that a fair, lawful and transparent system is in place so that decisions are made on evidence not suspicion.
‘Without the highest levels of trust in the process, there is a danger that wider morale will continue to erode. Any changes must not undermine the working trust between officers and the police leadership in general.’
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