Rogue police officers who are suspected criminals will be sacked as 'absurd' High Court ruling is addressed
Urgent police reforms coming into force next month will make it a legal requirement for serving officers to pass vetting procedures for the first time.
In a major victory for police chiefs who have called for greater powers to sack suspected criminals in uniform, it means forces will now be able to automatically boot out officers who have failed background checks after being accused of serious crimes including rape, sexual assault and corruption.
The measures were rushed through Parliament after a controversial legal ruling in February meant forces were unable to remove rogue officers due to their human rights.
A Scotland Yard officer accused of rape, sexual assault, indecent exposure and domestic abuse successfully mounted a legal challenge against his force for removing his vetting clearance over the disputed allegations.
Sergeant Lino Di Maria argued that it was unlawful to remove his warrant card when no allegations had been proven.
To the horror of Scotland Yard's female officers, his case was backed by the Metropolitan Police Federation, a staff association representing 30,000 officers, despite the officer facing accusations from his own colleagues.
The High Court ruled that removing his warrant card without proving the accusations was a breach of his right to a fair trial under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The decision meant hundreds of Scotland Yard officers who faced being stripped of their vetting clearance due to alleged misconduct could remain in the force on full pay until retirement.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said in February the 'absurd' judgement had put forces 'in a hopeless position' as he had no choice but to put accused officers on 'vetting special leave'- paying them a full salary to stay at home doing nothing for fear that they could put the public or colleagues at risk.
Following the murder of Sarah Everard by Met officer Wayne Couzens, Sir Mark brought in a retrospective vetting scheme to weed out suspected corruption and and criminality in the ranks, but perversely bosses had no legal power to sack those failing background checks.
As a result, 29 Metropolitan Police officers and staff are currently sitting at home on paid leave at an estimated cost of £2million a year, despite having had their vetting removed by the force which believes they are not fit to serve the public.
A 2024 national review uncovered concerns about 461 officers nationally, with 139 of those facing re-vetting at that time.
Now hundreds of those officers could face the sack when the reforms come in.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'In recent years, serious cases which have badly failed all proper policing standards have damaged public trust in the officers who are supposed to protect them, and undermined the majority of brave, committed officers who work tirelessly to keep us safe.
'It is simply not acceptable that officers who are clearly unfit to serve or pose a risk to their colleagues cannot be removed.
'That's why these new rules are essential and it is why this Government has been working closely with forces to overcome these barriers to restore confidence in policing.'
The new police dismissal system, which will come into force from 14 May, comes as the Home Office is also planning to introduce stronger requirements to suspend officers under investigation for violence against women and girls.
Officers convicted of certain criminal offences will also be automatically found guilty of gross misconduct under the plans.
National Police Chiefs' Council lead for vetting, Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith, backed the changes which 'provide clear routes for action to remove individuals who fall below the high standards the public and our workforce rightly expect and deserve'.
Domestic abuse campaigner Nour Norris, who has called for reforms following the murder of her niece Raneem Oudeh and sister Khaola Saleem said: 'For the first time officers who cannot pass vetting, many for serious issues like domestic and sexual abuse, can finally be removed.
Rogue police officers who are suspected criminals will be sacked as 'absurd' high court ruling is addressed
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