Essex Police Federation airs concerns over vetting changes

7 January 2025

The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has announced that it is looking into legal action to stop new vetting rules that it says will unfairly destroy the careers of good police officers.

While the PFEW says it supports a tightening of the current vetting system, any new rules should be backed by Government regulation and an independent process.

Currently, both the PFEW and the Police Superintendents’ Association oppose the new vetting guidance drawn up by the College of Policing.

Essex Police Federation Chair Laura Heggie is concerned that the new rules could go too far, with officers told failing vetting but not being told why.

Laura said: “We all understand why vetting has to be tightened up; nobody wants to work with bad cops and we are the first to want any that walk among us out. But policing needs to be careful that it isn’t taken too far the other way and we lose good officers.

“Already, we have seen the double jeopardy of vetting and the frustration where officers are told they have failed vetting but are not even given the reason why: all of a sudden their career is over just like that.”

PFEW claims that the College of Policing’s new rules are “badly drawn up, lack an independent appeals process, and could lead to officers having their vetting withdrawn on receiving adverse information without officers knowing what that information is”.

PFEW’s legal advisers are investigating whether the proposed new Vetting Authorised Professional Practice (APP) could be in breach of the Article 6 Convention on Human Rights.

Tiff Lynch, PFEW Acting National Chair, said: “We support the introduction of stronger vetting processes, founded in regulation, so the highest standards are always upheld and maintained. However, the new guidance from the College has been rushed out, with minimal consultation, and risks a number of unintended consequences. Decent officers could see their livelihoods disappear on the basis of false information and vexatious allegations.

“It can’t be acceptable that life-changing decisions can be made on the subjective opinion vetting managers in each force who are able to overrule the findings of a misconduct panel and effectively dismiss an officer. The appeals process panel is also flawed in the sense that the Chair alone makes the decision. This APP is not fit for purpose, and we will continue to push for a fair and workable system.”