Thousands of police officers not properly vetted ‘putting women’s safety at risk’

Exclusive: Gaps are ‘jeopardising safety and undermining trust’, former victims’ commissioner says

Thousands of police officers have not been properly vetted because of failures that campaigners say are putting women at risk and undermining public trust.

An analysis by The Independent shows that, at the most recent inspection, around 1,500 officers and staff in just 10 forces had no vetting or had been subject to checks that had expired or were inappropriate for their role.

The number will be far higher for all forces in England and Wales, but the true figure is unknown because assessments by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) are still under way.