Police officers in England and Wales who fail background checks will be automatically dismissed from next month, under new legislation aimed at tackling what ministers have called a “glaring gap” in the law; one that has allowed hundreds of officers deemed unfit to continue serving.
Police Officer Admits Having Over 1500 Child Abuse Images
The changes, to be introduced to Parliament on Wednesday, will make it a legal requirement for serving officers to pass vetting procedures. From 14 May, any officer who fails this process will be sacked immediately, ending the long-standing loophole that allowed individuals with serious allegations or concerning histories to remain in uniform.
Recent reviews and investigations have revealed that hundreds of officers across the country remain in post despite being unfit for service. In some cases, officers have continued to receive full pay even after failing vetting due to links to domestic abuse, sexual misconduct, or criminal activity.
Among the most high-profile examples was Metropolitan Police officer David Carrick, who was able to remain in the force for two decades despite multiple allegations of rape and abuse. He was eventually jailed for dozens of sexual offences in 2023. His case, along with that of Wayne Couzens, who murdered Sarah Everard while serving as a police officer, triggered a national reckoning over police culture, vetting, and accountability.
Dorset Police Unveils Revolutionary “Report It and We’ll Pretend to Care” Initiative
In February, Sergeant Lino Di Maria, also of the Met, mounted a legal challenge after having his vetting removed over allegations of sexual offences, which he denies. The High Court ruled that he had no case to answer regarding misconduct and found that stripping his vetting without proven wrongdoing breached his right to a fair trial. The Met has since been granted leave to appeal, citing the case as a matter of public importance.
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said the public will be “quite shocked” to learn that officers who pose a risk to the public or their colleagues can currently stay in the job. “This is about a bespoke way of identifying those officers who can’t hold the vetting because of the background checks that are made and making sure there is a swift, easy, but fair way of removing them from the police service,” she said.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley — who has led calls for urgent reform — welcomed the measures, stating, “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.”
He added: “This matters not just for the public we serve but for the vast majority of hard-working officers who should be able to feel safe, have full trust in those they work alongside and have the confidence of the public.”
The Home Office estimates that dozens of officers currently serving would be removed under the new rules. In London alone, a review by the Met last year identified more than 1,000 officers whose positions were under scrutiny due to past conduct, failed vetting, or ongoing investigations.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the reforms are essential to restoring confidence in the police. “Serious cases in recent years have badly failed all proper policing standards and damaged public trust in the officers who are supposed to protect them,” she said. “It is simply not acceptable that officers who are clearly unfit to serve or pose a risk to their colleagues cannot be removed.”
In addition to the legal changes coming into force in May, the government plans to introduce tougher national vetting standards later this year. These will include mandatory suspensions for officers under investigation for violence against women and girls and automatic gross misconduct findings for those convicted of certain criminal offences.
