That the police don't vet their officers

[OneTC]

And if not, why not?

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-64289461

So a 1000 police officers subject to investigation for sexual/domestic violence offences in one force isn’t a cause for concern? That’s a thousand different individuals who have been assaulted or sexually abused by the police and we should be supporting them regardless?

It's not an isolated incidence and the minimising by other police officers everytime one is exposed is sickening. There are over 1000 cases of sexual and domestic violence being examined involving 800 officers in the Met alone. This are the ones brave enough to report. How many do you think there actually are. How many do there have to be for this abuse of power and criminal activity not to be called isolated by other police officers.

I have to be vetted every two years with absolutely no change in duties, how come a police officer isn't.

I actually think you need some serious help if you think that. I’m not sure what has happened to you to think all these things. But 1.7% of officers being allegedly involved in DV is terrible, but should not make you feel you can’t trust the police! You seem genuinely panicked over the police! Yes there are bad cops, just like any other profession. There are surgeons, doctors who abuse patients- does this stop you using the NHS? 10% of military personnel involved in DV.

you seem to think every police officer is an abuser or covers up. You have no idea how far from the truth you are. Policing is massively underpaid (and a large number receive no pay), really difficult work yet people do it for the good of the community. They help mental health patients with almost no training whatsoever.Thet are dealing with victims of DV. All whilst massively under resourced to dangerous levels. They are being attacked and threatened whilst you sit here in your warm safe house moaning.

so why don’t you get off your arse volunteer to help actually do something rather than attacking all the officers who do such a great job. If your kid was drowning would you refuse the help of a police officer trying to smash his way through the ice? If you were being attacked would you ask an officer to leave you alone?

And yes your attitude, creating hysteria over a small number of officers (and 1.7% is small 5% of the general population is subject to DV by comparison) then you are putting good men like my DH in danger. Go on volunteer- oh you won’t because you would rather sit there moaning than actually try and make a difference - pathetic!

@OMG12 the only 'vitriol' I can see on this thread is from you.

Over 2% of (Met?) police are the subject of accusations of domestic violence or sexual abuse. Both hugely under reported crimes, and I suspect even more so when the perpetrator is in the police.

Saying that is a problem isn't 'hate' for the police.

I work (in safeguarding, so probably attracts less of the macho element) with quite a few ex-police, all of whom are decent human beings. But every one of them that I have chatted with over a drink after work have said that there is institutional sexism and racism. They also say there are some great initiatives trying to tackle the problems, that there are many great officers and teams, BUT changing culture is difficult and the problem remains.

I have only ever had positive experiences with the police, including when DD was racially abused on her way to school. The school liaison officer was absolutely amazing.

But it is worrying that there are people who minimise the issue that, if you are a victim of domestic or sexual abuse, the people you are supposed to turn to for help have a high proportion of people who have been accused of perpetrating the same abuse. Yes, some of those allegations may be false, but I suspect that is far outweighed by the number of victims that do not report.

@OMG12 - I believe it was the police themselves who suggested that women flag down bus drivers if they were scared a police officer might be trying to kidnap them. Can you not see how mad that is?! So perhaps you need to point your accusation of “hysteria“ (a word with not a nice etymology btw) at them.

You seem to think I don’t know any police officers, I do. Quite a few of them through either blood or marriage. I don’t come from a “police hating” family. Far from it, you’d be shocked to see the walls of my grandparents home, littered with photos and commendations. I am well aware of how difficult a job it is. It doesn’t excuse the problematic culture that exists and how accepting a lot of current officers are to it. Mostly with a “it is what it is” rather than the fierce defence you’ve gone with.

You can write me off as a mad woman all you like but the statistics and news articles speak for themselves really. I am just not blind to how really terrifying it is to have the police gain more and more powers with less and less oversight, whilst rapists and abusers get to carry on with no consequences.

you’d to be a pretty awful person to write this

I think that sounds great personally

For the second time, that’s not what I said.

Agree with all of this

ClareBlue ·
I have to be vetted every two years with absolutely no change in duties, how come a police officer isn't.

We should be - I have no issues with this. Or even every year

If an allegation or complaint is made about an officer - what should happen?
Should they be suspended straight away?

If that is the case, the criminal world would quickly realise this and get the whole force suspended by making false allegations

I see David Carrick has FINALLY been sacked from the Met 🙄

It's pretty obvious that the vetting that is done is deeply subjective. This means it is basically useless.

The police are given a lot of power. Not only should the vetting be up to the standards of the CS, the decision should not be appealable. Everyone else, and I mean everyone else in the public sector has no appeal. You are just told no. That the police have thus exemption is outrageous.

I would also disbar Army veterans from firearms duty unless they underwent enhanced vetting, including their personal phone and internet.

These people can use force against you but they are less well regulated than a ready meal sold in a supermarket.

All of those officers who signed off on Carrick getting promotion should be sacked. They had to endorse him.

The Met is deeply misogynistic. Carrick did well in this environment. In another, he would have been sacked before he had the chance to abuse his power, position and be one of the most extensive sex offenders of the 21st century. The fact he was promoted tells you so much about police culture.

Everyone is focusing on vetting, but the bigger issue here is what happens when allegations are made when a serving Officer has allegations made against them. Also, @LexMitior I work in a public service where you can appeal a vetting decision so I am afraid you are wrong.

So why don’t you join as a volunteer and help change things

This is not the gotcha you seem to think it is.

The public is not responsible for “fixing” law enforcement by volunteering. If the police aren’t listening to official reports and top down pressure, what is a volunteer going to do eh? “Hey Mr Chief Inspector stop being so sexist!”

Why? Or do you just like slagging people off you don’t know?

Lol that’s rich 😂

Well I tell you I can't! What do you do where you can appeal? @Greenshake

Probation.

This is the problem!
Standards have dropped & now we see the results.

But Carrick was a police officer for 20 years and appears to have been offending over the whole period so I don’t think it’s just a case of standards in vetting dropping over time.

Okay. I do not think any public servant should be able to appeal - vetting is about risk, so I surprised that appeals are given to the police or probation officers. This strikes me as particularly odd given the responsibility of such jobs. It is particularly weird because for a bog standard civil servant is being held to a higher standard than the police. That is absolutely wrong, and appeals should be stopped.

Are you sure about that? A quick Google would suggest that civil servants can appeal decisions to remove security clearance.

TBH I don't know much about how vetting is done but would imagine that an appeals process is an important part of any process like that. As with other appeals processes though you should have to present new evidence or evidence of a systems failure, you presumably couldn't just ask up be reassessed in the hope of a better outcome

@LexMitior people absolutely should have the right to appeal these decisions. It’s part of a fair process.