Metropolitan Police Commissioner Criticizes Home Office Over Vetting Policies

Sir Mark Rowley highlights failures in the Home Office that prevent police from dismissing officers who fail vetting processes, following a High Court ruling.

Sir Mark Rowley, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has raised concerns regarding the Home Office's failure to amend regulations related to the vetting and dismissal of police officers.

This criticism follows a High Court ruling stating that the Metropolitan Police’s current policy of dismissing officers who fail vetting procedures is unlawful.

In recent comments made on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Rowley stated that civil servants at the Home Office had been aware of these issues for over two decades, leaving the police force unable to remove officers deemed unfit for public service.

He asserted that there had been consistent support from various Home Secretaries over the last two years, including Suella Braverman, James Cleverly, and Yvette Cooper, who all expressed intent to address the situation.

However, he characterized the response from Home Office officials as slow, which he claimed has hindered progress.

On the matter of an urgent need for regulatory changes, Rowley stated, “We haven’t yet [been given a timeline], but we need this in weeks.” He emphasized the necessity for a practical and swift process to ensure that officers who are not suitable for duty can be dealt with effectively.

The issue gained further attention when a letter published in The Times highlighted that three retired senior police officers, including former Commissioner Ian Blair, noted the same concerns had been communicated to the Home Office 25 years ago.

The letter called for a decisive action from current ministers to permit the removal of officers who failed to pass vetting procedures.

Rowley mentioned that the financial implications of the current situation could cost the Metropolitan Police up to £7 million annually, as they are compelled to place unfit officers on special leave instead of active duty.

He described this expenditure as "a ridiculous waste of taxpayers’ money."

Currently, over 100 Metropolitan Police officers are undergoing a review of their vetting statuses, and 29 officers face dismissal hearings due to their loss of vetting status.

Many of these cases reportedly involve allegations concerning inappropriate treatment towards women and girls, including allegations of sexual misconduct.

One such case involves Sergeant Lino Di Maria, who faced allegations of rape and improper conduct.

The High Court recently upheld his appeal against the Met’s decision to dismiss him prior to any trial.

Rowley pointed to a disturbing trend in the cases being reviewed, stating, “When you’ve got multiple women making different allegations against an individual, you start to put up a pattern of information that says this person is not sufficiently trustworthy with women to be a police officer.”

In response to queries about trust in the Metropolitan Police, Rowley asserted that the current police service is committed to enhancing integrity and tackling these pressing issues concerning the treatment of women.

He affirmed the force's ongoing efforts to improve their handling of such matters, while also urging the Home Office to expedite necessary reforms.