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Met to launch ‘re-vetting’ process after national recommendations

The force is instigating re-vetting procedures which will be used when concerns over an officer are raised.

The Met Police will begin reviewing officers’ and staff vetting statuses when a concern is raised over their behaviour.

It follows national recommendations from HMICFRS and the College – with other forces also set to adopt the same or similar processes.

Automatic re-vetting triggers will include; the conclusion of a criminal investigation, a misconduct hearing where a written warning, final written warning or reduction in rank has been issued, or when “adverse information” about an individual comes to the notice of the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards.

Following a trigger, vetting will be carried out by a senior vetting officer – the results will depend on individual cases and would either see the officer maintain their vetting status or have their minimum vetting status revoked. The latter could then trigger a process under performance regulations.

Subsequent appeals would be carried out by a commander and the Met’s force vetting manager.

The initiative, called Operation Assure, will focus on cases where an individual’s conduct represents a breach of public trust.

Commander James Harman of DPS said: "The Commissioner has been clear that there are many officers who should not be part of this organisation. They have lost his confidence and the public would rightly expect there to be a process which would allow us to review their continued employment.

“When a member of the public asks a police officer for help, they should be confident that the Met has vetted that person to an appropriate level, and kept that vetting under review. We should all recognise that vetting is not an administrative exercise – it is an expression of public trust, and the Met's Referencing and Vetting Unit works hard on a daily basis to perform this critical function for London.

"We are determined to show the public our seriousness about rooting out corruption and abuse. We will take decisive action where new information leads us to conclude that clearance may no longer be appropriate - and we are pleased to be in the forefront of implementing these important recommendations."

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