Inspectors criticise Thames Valley Police vetting standards

Vetting at Thames Valley Police should be improved to make sure only appropriate people are allowed access to sensitive information, an inspection has concluded.

Inspection body HMICFRS (His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services) assesses the effectiveness of police and fire services.

In its latest report, it found that TVP’s vetting of police staff was only ‘adequate’.

Police personnel must hold an appropriate level of vetting to access police buildings and IT systems, handle sensitive information, and work in roles involving higher risk or greater access to confidential material.

Vetting involves criminal record checks, financial checks and background information to assess risk.

Police staff are required to tell the force about certain changes in their personal lives that could create a security risk or conflict of interest; for example, arrests, financial issues, and sometimes new relationships.

The force’s vetting unit said it was told about 381 changes in personal circumstances over the course of one year – but inspectors think that number is too low for a force of that size.

When an officer or staff member is disciplined and they receive a formal sanction, their clearance must be reviewed.

But when inspectors looked closely at four such cases, they didn't agree with any of the decisions TVP’s vetting unit made.

They found the unit 'hadn’t taken any action' to remove or downgrade clearance.

Inspectors also found a case where someone had been moved to an area they were not supposed to work in because restrictions had been placed on them.

Vetting clearance expires periodically, so it must be renewed to make sure only appropriate people continue to have access.

Within its force, TVP reported a total of about 10,120 police officers, special constables, police staff and police community support officers. Of these, there were 39 people without the correct level of vetting for their role.

Twelve of them had expired vetting, (one police officer and 11 other police staff), and the oldest expired in 2016, as the vetting application had been 'overlooked'.

In addition, TVP’s head of vetting said that sometimes managers in various departments failed to tell the force vetting unit when staff changed jobs or roles.

When that happens, the vetting unit may not realise that someone now needs a different level of clearance.

As well as its own staff, TVP also carries out background checks on external contractors, volunteers and staff who need to access police premises.

At the time inspectors looked at the data, 110 out of 1,090 such people did not have up-to-date clearance – a good 10 per cent of them.

Responding to the report, Deputy Chief Constable Ben Snuggs said that the positives of the report acknowledged TVP’s increase in staffing to manage vetting demand.

He said TVP remains ‘unequivocal’ in its commitment to continual improvement.