Vetting
Case reference FOI2024/00291
Published 28 May 2024
Request
* How many total police officers do you have serving? Please provide the number and percentage of serving police officers who have failed re-vetting procedures in the last five years. How many of these officers are still serving even though they have failed re-vetting? * For the last three years, please provide as many examples as is financially possible of the following: The rationale provided for rejecting vetting clearance for officers in relation to adverse information recorded as Violence Against Women and Girls-related. In each example, I would like a copy of the report made in rejecting vetting clearance, or as much of it as possible. * Does your force conduct face-to-face interviews (not including through audio/video telecommunications) as part of the vetting process? * Does your force check the content on publically available social media to ensure that the applicant's online behaviour is compatible with the Code of Ethics or Standards of Professional Behaviour, as part of the vetting process? * Please provide the average time between a police officer's initial vetting and re-vetting in your police force.
Response
The City of London Police (CoLP) are unable to answer your request in full, as the information requested in some elements of your request cannot be collated within the timeframe/cost threshold set out by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Act Fees Regulations 2004.
I can confirm that both the Professional Standards Department (PSD) and Human Resources (HR) Directorate have been approached.
1. As of the end of February 2024, the CoLP have/had 968 police officers.
2. Section 12(1); see explanation below.
3. Section 12(1); see explanation below.
4. Section 12(1); see explanation below.
5. The CoLP can confirm that; where "traces" are found during the vetting/re-vetting process, that would require further clarification, the Vetting Team would invite an applicant for an interview. This would enable the individual to provide further details and to answer any questions, before a final decision is made.
6. The CoLP can confirm that; social media checks are carried out on all applicants, using publicly available social media platforms.
7. Section 12(1); see explanation below. The CoLP can confirm that an average is not necessarily held and information regarding date differences between vetting, is not held in an easily retrievable format, in order to calculate such an average. The CoLP can further confirm that; the timeframe between an officers initial vetting and their re-vetting, depends upon their level of clearance; officers holding RV/CTC are re-vetted every ten years; officers holding MV/SC or MV/DV are re-vetted every seven years. These time frames are contained within the Vetting Authorised Professional Practice (APP), issued by the College of Policing and are applicable for all Police Forces in England and Wales.
Section 12(1) Cost Refusal
Due to the time frames requested (five and three years), the number of serving and previously serving officers over the specified time frames, a change in system and use of multiple systems, and the detail requested, I estimate that the cost of complying with your request would exceed the appropriate limit. For agencies outside of central Government, this is set at £450 and represents the estimated cost of one person spending 18 hours [at a rate of £25 per hour] determining whether the public authority holds the information. This letter constitutes a formal Refusal Notice under Section 17(1) for this request, although I understand that this has not been served within the 20 day requirement.
DUTY TO ADVISE AND ASSIST
Under Section 16 of the Act, there is a duty to advise applicants in making requests for information. In reference to elements (2), (3), (4) and (7), of the request; you may wish to request a six month period, rather than three or five years of data, if held at all.
Documents
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