PRESS RELEASE : Next steps to rid police of misogyny and predatory behaviour [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Home Office on 18 January 2023.
The Home Secretary has set out next steps to strengthen vetting of police officers following the David Carrick case.
The government will do whatever it takes to root out misogyny and predatory behaviour from the ranks of the police.
In the wake of the appalling crimes committed by David Carrick and acknowledged failures within the Metropolitan Police that allowed such a despicable criminal to serve the public, the government – working with police chiefs across the country – is taking immediate action to ensure that the system is effective at removing officers who are simply not fit to wear the uniform.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council has confirmed that it will ask all police forces to check their officers and staff against national police databases. This will help identify anyone who has slipped through the net before vetting standards were toughened and ensure those who are unfit to serve can be rooted out.
The Home Secretary has also asked the College of Policing to strengthen the statutory code of practice for police vetting, making the obligations all forces must legally follow stricter and clearer. This will make a raft of guidance a legal requirement for all police forces.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:
David Carrick’s sickening crimes are a stain on the police and he should never have been allowed to remain as an officer for so long.
We are taking immediate steps to ensure predatory individuals are not only rooted out of the force, but that vetting and standards are strengthened to ensure they cannot join the police in the first place.
Every day thousands of decent, hardworking police officers perform their duties with the utmost professionalism and I am sure they all share my disgust at his despicable betrayal of everything they stand for.
The government has also brought forward the second part of the Angiolini Inquiry, the terms of reference of which will be published today for consultation, to identify and address any systemic issues with policing. This will:
ask whether processes around recruitment and vetting do enough to identify those who are not fit to serve
investigate the extent to which misogynistic and predatory behaviour exists in police culture
look at whether current measures do enough to keep women safe in public spaces and manage risks posed by perpetrators
The Angiolini Inquiry was established in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard to understand how a serving police officer was able to carry out such a horrendous crime. The Home Secretary confirmed yesterday that Lady Angiolini will also look at the specifics surrounding the David Carrick case as part of her inquiry.
The government has also commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services to conduct a rapid review of all forces’ response to the inspectorate’s recent report into vetting and counter-corruption. This will make sure chief officers are taking the necessary action to remove those who are not fit to serve.
The Home Secretary has also launched an internal review into police dismissals to make sure the system is effective at removing officers who fall short of the standards expected of them.
The Prime Minister will meet with Met Commissioner Mark Rowley later on today to make clear we must work together to root out the misogyny and predatory behaviour within the police’s ranks to restore public confidence.
