A former South Wales Police officer, who was convicted of grooming more than 200 girls and sentenced to life in prison for 160 counts of child sexual abuse and blackmail, has prompted calls to tighten the vetting process for police recruits.
The former inspector of constabulary, Zoe Billingham, stated that the bar for vetting applicants was "clearly too low" and that it was "almost unthinkable" for a police officer to commit such crimes.
She called for psychometric testing for police officers and more extensive checks on social media and motivations for joining the police force. The case has raised concerns about public trust in the police and the need for prevention efforts in addition to criminal justice measures.