AVON & Somerset Police recruited officers who had criminal records or cautions without properly considering the risks when vetting them, government inspectors found.
A report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services said the force needs to improve vetting procedures, professional standards and counter-corruption arrangements.
The government inspectors said that of 37 cases investigated on vetting new recruits over the last three years, the force did not “consider identified risks or relevant risk mitigations” for 10 of them.
One of these recruits posed “several significant corruption risks” and was initially refused clearance by the vetting unit, which “correctly highlighted the relevant corruption risks”. But this decision was overturned by senior officers and the person was employed, and only years later – immediately before HMICFRS’s inspection – were they granted clearance, without the correct procedures being followed.
The report, published on October 29, said: “Given the corruption risk posed, this isn’t acceptable. We brought this case to the personal attention of the chief constable.”
The regulatorconcluded that the force needed to improve the way it made vetting decisions, handled complaints and allegations of misconduct, and monitored its IT to identify potential misuse.
A police spokesperson said the force had “invested significant resources – money, technology, and some of our best people” into its Professional Standards Department, Counter Corruption Unit (CCU), and vetting. The force said it accepted the inspectors’ findings with “humility and determination” and had already taken action in response to the recommendations.
Deputy Chief Constable Jon Reilly said: “We are committed to continuous improvement and welcome ongoing scrutiny.The vast majority of officers and staff dedicate their lives to keeping the public safe. There is no place in policing for those who don’t share our values.”
By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service