The PSNI has confirmed a total of 11 police officers have failed Developed Vetting (DV) procedures over the last five years.
DV, also known as Level 6 vetting within the PSNI, can only be applied for after passing the previous five levels of Police Vetting.
It is required for ‘designated roles’ and which can include the Public Protection Branch investigating child abuse or domestic abuse, Close Protection Unit, and those managing sensitive intelligence.
The figures were revealed in a Freedom of Information response which the PSNI partially answered as they were unable to categorically confirm if the officers in question remain in post after failed vetting.
Initial clearance known as Police Vetting is designed as “a thorough, effective vetting regime as a key component in assessing an individual’s integrity. It helps to reassure the public that appropriate checks are conducted on individuals in positions of trust.
“Police Vetting exists to protect integrity, reputation, assets and data from persons and organisations intent on or capable of disrupting, the integrity, security or values of the PSNI.”
Police Vetting covers three sections:
– Recruit Vetting + Counter Terrorist Check (CTC)
– Police Vetting + CTC
– Non-Police Personnel Police Vetting
Above this and at the top of the scale is the process within National Security Vetting known as DV which sits outside the standard process and used to protect sensitive national security assets.
This provides an acceptable level of assurance as to the integrity of individuals who have access to protectively marked government assets and/or require access to persons, sites and materials at risk of terrorist attack.
It also covers officers in close contact with vulnerable people unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from exploitation, for example children, or persons with mobility problems or mental health issues.
While the PSNI clarified 11 officers failed DV over the last five years, there is no official policy around them remaining in post or not.
If an officer fails vetting, they are referred to local management for this to be addressed but the PSNI added: “It is highly unlikely they would remain in a ‘designated post”
Asked for the definition of a ‘designated post’ the PSNI, any post which requires a specific level of vetting beyond police vetting such as developed vetting.
This didn’t answer the question but a 2023 report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services noted the PSNI “doesn’t have a designated post list”, although at that stage had almost 2000 officers and staff vetted to the higher level, generally for roles requiring access to sensitive intelligence.
However the Inspectorate found the PSNI: “Carries out additional checks for posts working with vulnerable people (and) recognises that abuse of position for a sexual purpose is serious corruption.”
The PSNI declined to comment on individual vetting outcomes or internal case handling, instead stating: “Each matter would be determined on a case-by-case basis. Where vetting concerns arise, they are managed through established internal processes, including consideration of operational deployment, welfare and security requirements.”
