The highest-ranking police official in Britain has attributed the inability to revise regulations allowing law enforcement agencies to terminate officers who fail vetting procedures to the delays of the Home Office.
Sir Mark Rowley, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, stated that civil servants have been aware of this issue for over two decades, which has left the force in a difficult position with officers who are unfit to serve the public.
On Tuesday, a high court ruling declared that the Metropolitan Police’s practice of dismissing officers who do not pass vetting was illegal.
When asked if he considered this a failure of his leadership, Rowley responded, “This is primarily a failure on the part of Home Office officials to amend the regulations.”
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Rowley expressed that he had received support from various home secretaries to modify the rules, enabling police forces to dismiss officers facing allegations of misconduct before those allegations were legally resolved.
However, he noted that officials had been slow to enact these changes. He remarked, “All home secretaries over the past two years have indicated their support for fixing this, and they’ve instructed officials accordingly. Yet, I could see that officials were lagging and not progressing adequately.”
Rowley indicated that he had witnessed steadfast commitment from Suella Braverman, James Cleverly, and Yvette Cooper throughout this endeavor. He expressed disappointment over the officials’ hesitance, stating, “Only in recent days have they begun to truly consider our requirements to resolve this, allowing us to effectively address matters concerning officers unfit to serve.”
Rowley referenced a letter in Wednesday’s Times written by three retired senior officers, including former commissioner Ian Blair, which noted that they had brought this issue to the Home Office’s attention 25 years ago. The letter pointed out, “We required the authority to remove officers who failed vetting and the appeals process. It is perplexing that after 25 years, no progress has been achieved. Ministers must act where their predecessors fell short and clarify that failing vetting is grounds for termination.”
Rowley remarked, “For over 20 years, there have been calls for these regulations to change, yet policing remains stagnant.”
On Tuesday, a spokesperson from the Home Office stated that the government was “acting swiftly” to create new rules that would enable forces to terminate officers unable to pass vetting.
When asked if he had been provided with a timeline for these changes, Rowley replied, “Not yet, but we need this resolved in a matter of weeks. The process must be efficient and straightforward.”
The Guardian has reported that it could cost the Metropolitan Police up to £7 million annually to place unfit officers on special leave instead of allowing them to serve. Rowley lamented, “It’s a senseless expenditure of taxpayers’ money to pay someone to stay home when they are not contributing to policing our streets.” When questioned about the potential costs, he mentioned, “It could reach millions, depending on how long this takes to address.”
Currently, more than 100 officers are undergoing a vetting review, and an additional 29 have lost their vetting clearance and face potential dismissal hearings. Rowley noted that most of these cases involve “inappropriate attitudes towards women and girls and acts of violence against women.”
Among the notable cases is Sgt. Lino Di Maria, a Metropolitan officer facing allegations of rape and inappropriate behavior towards women. On Tuesday, the high court ruled in favor of his appeal against the Met’s decision to dismiss him prior to trial.
In regards to this case, Rowley commented, “When multiple women present different accusations against one individual, it begins to establish a concerning pattern indicating that this individual may not be trustworthy in their interactions with women.”
When asked if women could have confidence in Metropolitan officers, Rowley affirmed, “The Metropolitan Police today demonstrates resilience in our integrity and our commitment to addressing these matters, even in the face of legal uncertainties. We are currently applying pressure on the Home Office and are making daily advancements in delivering better outcomes for women and girls.”
