Results from mass screening project are 'really positive' says Fed chair

25 January 2024

Dyfed Powys Police Federation chair Gareth Jones has praised the ‘dedication and integrity’ of members and hopes a historic data wash will strengthen public trust in policing.

Gareth was reacting to the results of the largest integrity screening project undertaken in policing which have been published by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).

The records of 307,452 police officers, staff and volunteers were checked against the Police National Database (PND) - a data store of operational policing information and intelligence provided by individual forces.

In Dyfed Powys Police, 1,286 officers, 1,004 staff, and 124 volunteers were screened, with one officer subject of a management intervention or other action. Two staff members were also the subject of management intervention or other action, while three staff members were the subject of a vetting clearance review.

Gareth said: “Results from the screening project are really positive, and it underlines the fact that the overwhelming majority of our members, and police staff and volunteers, are doing a fantastic job for the people of Dyfed Powys.

“They’re dedicated to serving and protecting people and communities and doing it with the utmost integrity.

“There’s no room for complacency, and we have to make sure that our Force continues to be one that the public can trust - and I hope this project goes some way to helping that.”

Nationally, 461 of the 307,452 people screened were referred to an appropriate authority and of these, nine triggered further criminal investigation; 88 triggered disciplinary investigation; 139 triggered vetting clearance; 128 triggered management intervention and 97 required no further action.

Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair said: “The cross checking of records on such a large scale was a significant task which shows our commitment right across policing to identify those who do not meet the high standards expected.

“I hope that it gives further reassurance to communities, and to colleagues in policing, that the overwhelming majority of the workforce can be trusted, and that if you are involved in wrongdoing, there is no place to hide.”

Steve Hartshorn, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), called on the NPCC to conduct this work every year.

He said: “This news from the National Police Chiefs’ Council comes as a positive, reassuring sign that the overwhelming majority of police officers, staff and volunteers are fit for the job and have been assessed to be so.

"For effective policing we need the confidence of the public, so such a large-scale nationwide exercise, reported openly will go further to rebuilding confidence in policing.

“Public trust can only be won by carrying out such exercises and being seen to do so. 

“Transparency is key, and so it is reassuring to see that less than 0.15 per cent of records highlighted needed referral to an appropriate authority, and with one fifth of these needing no further action; but this is still too high, and we must continue to root out those who are unfit to serve the public.

"This is why I call on the NPCC to conduct this work every year so that those who do not deserve to be in policing know they have no place to hide, they will be identified, and action will be taken.

“This work is vital to our reputation and our future, and will go on to reassure the public that they can depend on us and trust the officers, volunteers and police staff that they come into contact with.”

READ MORE: Force Review - Fed will be a voice for members throughout current review.