NPCC responds to HMICFRS review of progress on vetting

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has today (11 May 2023) published a review of progress against recommendations made in its November 2022 report into vetting, misconduct, and misogyny in the police service.

Chief Constable Debbie Tedds is National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vetting. She said:

“The swift and robust action taken by forces to address the findings found in HMICFRS’ November 2022 report has led to real progress.

“Further improvements have been made since this review in February and we continue working to deliver the changes needed to ensure those who fall below our high standards are stopped from entering policing and anyone serving rooted out and kept out.

“It is only right that police forces are held to account and we thank HMICFRS for its ongoing scrutiny. We will now examine the review's findings in detail and address any issues raised.”

Compliance with recommendations made in HMICFRS November 2022 report (as of February 2023)

• 90 per cent of recommendations made by HMICFRS related to counter-corruption and misconduct have been or are likely to be addressed by the deadline.
• 73 per cent of recommendations made by HMICFRS related to vetting have been or are likely to be addressed by the deadline.
• HMICFRS agreed with 96 per cent of the vetting decisions they reviewed which is a significant improvement on the 90 per cent from the November 2022 report, demonstrating the positive changes being made.

Strengthening vetting and misconduct investigations 

• NPCC have strengthened vetting practice and procedures to ensure one standard is applied across all forces through the Vetting Authorised Professional Practice (APP). This will be reviewed and updated this year.  
• We are checking all police officers and staff against the Police National Database (PND). The NPCC is also leading work to automate PND checks on a continuous basis ensuring anyone who has fallen through the cracks is flagged and action taken.
• Policing is looking at options for automated process to support vetting enquiries.
• Following recommendations from a NPCC and College of Policing learning review published in October 2022, police forces are ensuring professional standards departments have a good working knowledge of current criminal investigation practice and access to expertise from rape and sexual assault investigators. They are also acting to ensure criminal and misconduct investigations run in parallel and there is effective joint working when misconduct and criminal investigations are being conducted by different teams.  

Identifying wrongdoing and toughening sanctions

• All forces are strengthening professional standards and counter corruption units by increasing proactive intelligence gathering and investigations in line with recommendations from Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).   

• Forces are following guidance from the College of Policing updated in July 2022, which strengthens the guidance to misconduct decision makers on removing those who betray police values and treating any misconduct related to VAWG or discrimination with the utmost severity. 
• All forces are strengthening professional standards and counter corruption units by increasing proactive intelligence gathering and investigations in line with recommendations from Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).  
• NPCC has called on all chief constables to take every possible step to root out those who do not uphold our standards, including:  

• Chairing accelerated hearings wherever the grounds are met (Recent Home Office data showed that in 95% of these hearings, the officer was sacked by their chief constable, or would have been if they were still serving when the hearing happened.)
• Making submissions to the chairs of those independent panels, wherever appropriate, so that sanctions always meet the gravity of an offence.  
• Seeking judicial review of decisions where appropriate.