A review by the police watchdog has discovered that not all officers in Police Scotland have undergone proper vetting. The report revealed that some officers and staff had not been vetted since starting their careers. The watchdog has recommended an urgent review of the situation, as well as repeating vetting at least once every ten years. The findings represent gaps in the vetting system of Police Scotland, which is currently under nationwide check initiated due to convictions of Sarah Everard’s killer Wayne Couzens and multiple rapist David Carrick.
The police watchdog’s report has further identified several deficiencies in the vetting system of Police Scotland that includes no easy way for the officers or staff to notify about their off-duty criminal conviction, no requirement to update information regarding changes of circumstances and several other issues. The report has recommended the introduction of legislation allowing the chief constable of Police Scotland to suspend or withdraw service of an officer or staff member who cannot meet the suitable vetting standard. An annual review for all staff, reporting convictions, and misconduct has also been advised by the report. It has also suggested conducting a review of designated posts that require working with vulnerable people as a priority.
Following the report, Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor announced that the force had already empowered its vetting process by introducing an additional check for new recruits. The force would begin a rolling program to review vetting decisions this year. Angela Wilson, the former assistant chief constable of Tayside, has previously called on Police Scotland to step up its vetting of officers to avoid looking stupid. She has also called for the establishment of an independent body to examine complaints against officers
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