Police vetting failures "shocking" says West of England Mayor
It's after a report revealed hundreds of people have joined the police nationwide despite criminal links
A failure in the police vetting system, that has reportedly allowed hundreds of people across England and Wales to join the police despite having criminal records or links to organised crime, has been slammed by the Mayor of the West of England.
The report, published today (November 2) by the police watchdog His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) reveals significant failings in the system.
It says the details of 725 officers across eight force areas were examined, and concerns were found about 131 of them.
The inquiry was commissioned after Sarah Everard was murdered by then serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens in 2021, and HMICFRS says the true total could be far higher.
Avon and Somerset Police were not examined as part of the investigation, raising questions about whether any people in our force area have been able to join in error as well.
We asked Labour's Dan Norris about it while at a press event this morning.
Mr Norris leads the West of England Combined Authority, which covers Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North East Somerset.
"What I'd say is, firstly that's shocking because that's a very high figure," he said.
"You'd never expect it to be completely zero, however hard you try, but you would expect it to be as near to zero as possible.
"What we all feel is that we need to be able to have full confidence in our police force."
Mr Norris acknowledged that there are some "amazing police officers" both across Avon and Somerset and nationally, "but what we've got to know is", he said, "that the vetting system is making sure that people who have got other motives, who might take advantage of that position of trust are not allowed to join the force".
This afternoon Avon and Somerset's Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford held a public meeting with the area's Chief Constable Sarah Crew, for a conversation which was arranged before today's news emerged.
Mr Shelford, a Conservative, took the opportunity to ask CC Crew if Avon and Somerset Police were involved in the report, and she confirmed they were not.
We received a statement from the PCC after the event.
"Local people deserve and expect the highest standards from police officers and this report highlights a worrying national picture regarding some officers working in police services across the country," Mr Shelford said.
"The constructive recommendations are very much needed so locally, regionally and nationally the right processes are in place and we can all increase community confidence in policing."
Mr Shelford, who had a long career in the British Army before entering politics, added it is "not good enough" that there are issues around vetting, misconduct and misogyny in the police.
"I know Chief Constable Sarah Crew and her leadership team are never complacent about such matters, acknowledges more needs to be done and continue to work hard to uncover and address misogynistic culture within Avon and Somerset," he said.