Vetting-Based Dismissal Is A ‘Massive Concern’

Vetting-based dismissal of officers means they could potentially be “kicked out by the back door without due process”, the Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.

In July, the College of Policing put the Code of Practice for Vetting before Parliament, which authorises Chief Constables to dismiss officers without going through the processes and mechanisms of dismissals.
South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said: “This is a massive concern for our officers, and I get really frustrated by hearing the rhetoric from the Commissioner and others that the Police Conduct Regulations are not fit for purpose. They are. What hasn’t been fit for purpose is the way they’ve been applied.

“That’s not attacking South Yorkshire Police in particular, but looking across the board, the notion that officers who get convicted of crimes can’t be dealt with is an absolute nonsense. Officers, if they’re convicted, can be fast-tracked out of the organisation under existing performance regulations very quickly.

“The systems are there. It’s not the officer’s fault that forces and the Government haven’t invested enough in proper police vetting procedures. It’s a really bad thing that officers can potentially be kicked out by the back door, without due process.”

Steve also expressed dismay that senior Labour politicians were backing the move, saying: “I find it very odd that Labour politicians, who pride themselves on championing employee rights, due process, and fairness and support for employment tribunals, are in some way championing this.”

He continued: “South Yorkshire Police, to its credit, is one of the highest-rated forces when it comes to anti-corruption, and when you see the headlines about officers who have been convicted, that shows that the system works and that we find bad apples and they get rooted out. But we mustn’t cause officers undue stress and paranoia that they’re not going to be supported if people make a genuine mistake.”