The Federation supports a tightening of the current vetting regime, following the cases of Wayne Couzens and David Carrick, but wants the system backed by government regulation and an independent process. Instead, the College of Policing has decided to issue its own guidance which is opposed by both the PFEW and the Police Superintendents Association (PSA), who together represent the bulk of frontline officers across the country.

It is the PFEW’s view that the rules being introduced by the College of Policing are badly drawn up, lack an independent appeals process, and could lead to officers having their vetting withdrawn on receiving adverse information without officers knowing what that information is. The Police Federation’s legal advisers are investigating whether the proposed new Vetting Authorised Professional Practice (APP) could even be in breach of the Article 6 Convention on Human Rights.

As the staff association representing more than 145,000 rank and file officers in England and Wales, the Police Federation is dismayed at the College of Policing’s reluctance to respond to our detailed submission highlighting serious concerns about the new Vetting APP. The PFEW and PSA have sought to engage with the College of Policing positively and constructively on this issue and have submitted that the revisions to the APP are unfair and against officers as they lack balance and proportionality. Changes to the Vetting APP are also ill-timed as they don’t take into account the new regulations which will be introduced next year.

While the PFEW fully agrees that stringent vetting of police officers must be done to identify and remove individuals unfit to be in the service, it recognises that the Government has, through the College’s new Vetting APP, allowed to draw prejudicial distinction between police officers and other public sector workers who are not subjected to vetting processes at par.

Recently the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, announced a package of reforms around police accountability which would see, for the first time, vetting standards being placed on a statutory footing. This follows the long-awaited accountability review and draws on findings of the reviews undertaken by Dame Louise Casey and Lady Elish Angiolini. The Home Office has begun consultation process on the new vetting regime, which will be put into law as part of the Government’s proposed Crime and Policing Bill.

PFEW has warned that the guidance set out by the College of Policing will impact on the retention and recruitment of officers, at a time when the Government has promised to recruit 13,000 additional neighbourhood police officers – police community support officers (PCSOs) and special constables.

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.”