A national report has suggested there could be “hundreds, if not low thousands” of corrupt officers serving in police forces across the country due to vetting failures. 

Dorset Police was one of eight constabulary’s scrutinised for a His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) in order to form 43 recommendations for best practice.

The watchdog looked at 11,277 police officers and staff, examined 725 vetting files, considered 264 complaint and misconduct investigations as well as interviewing 42 people from across these eight forces. 

Inspectors found cases where:

  • Evidence a prospective officer may present a risk to the public was ignored;
  • Officers were transferring between forces despite a history of “concerning intelligence, complaints or misconduct allegations”;
  • Incidents which should have been classed as gross misconduct were assessed as a lower-level disciplinary matter or “not treated as misconduct at all”.
  • According to the report, 131 cases were identified where inspectors described the decisions made as “questionable at best”. In 68 of these, they disagreed with the force’s decision to grant vetting clearance.

The report doesn’t detail specific findings for each force scrutinised but uses the findings to “form a national picture”.

The inspection, commissioned by then-home secretary Priti Patel in the wake of Ms Everard’s murder, concluded a culture of misogyny, sexism and predatory behaviour towards female police officers and staff and members of the public still exists and is “prevalent” in many forces.

It said that the “majority of police officers and staff meet – and often exceed – the standards of behaviour the public have a right to expect” but that “too many warnings have been ignored” surrounding misogynistic behaviour within the service.

Matt Parr, inspector of the constabulary, said: “It is too easy for the wrong people to both join and stay in the police. If the police are to rebuild public trust and protect their own female officers and staff vetting must be much more rigorous and sexual misconduct taken more seriously.”

“It seems reasonable for me to say that over the last three or four years, the number of people recruited over whom we would raise significant questions is certainly in the hundreds, if not low thousands… it’s not in the tens, it’s at least in the hundreds.”

Dorset Police's Chief Constable Scott Chilton said: “We welcome today’s report and note all of the recommendations made by HMICFRS. Dorset Police will continue to prioritise standards in our vetting and misconduct arrangements to ensure the public continue to have confidence in our procedures and those suitable for a role in policing.

“I am confident the Force has the capability to identify and remove those who are not suitable to be officers or staff in our organisation whilst dealing robustly with those subject to criminal and misconduct offences.

"“I would like to reassure our communities that none of those officers and staff identified within the national report were found to be in Dorset and our vetting of all officers, staff, volunteers and contractors are up to date."