Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 17 November 2022 (HL3192), what assessment they have made of the reported involvement of the Police Federation in the transfer of police officers suspected of links to organised crime, or found guilty of sexual crimes to other police forces without vetting.

The government expects police forces to carry out their vetting in line with the College of Policing’s vetting statutory code of practice and vetting authorised professional practice (APP) guidance.

With regards to transferees, the APP states that the receiving force must request the full complaint and misconduct history of the officer or staff member from the parent force and from any other forces where they have served. Other relevant information such as corruption intelligence and notifiable associations should also be collated. The APP does not provide for the Police Federation to have any influence over this process.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services’ (HMICFRS’) report of 2nd November into vetting, misconduct and misogyny in the police service recognised that the inspected forces were complying with the APP in respect of transferees but recommended inserting further safeguards into the vetting process. All of the relevant bodies have committed to addressing the recommendations from the report in full.