Radical overhaul of police vetting required, says inquiry

The first report from an inquiry into the abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by off-duty Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens has called for a radical overhaul of police vetting nationwide.

The independent inquiry, led by Lady Elish Angiolini, found that Couzens should never have been given a job as a police officer.

The report says three police forces – Kent Police, the Met Police and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary – failed to spot the red flags about his unsuitability for office when they “could and should have stopped him”.

These failures meant Couzens “could enjoy the powers and privileges that accompany the role of police officer”.

Lady Elish said that Couzens’ working environments “did nothing to discourage his misogynistic view of women”.

She added police leaders need to radically transform their approach to police culture, if future offenders are to be denied opportunities to abuse police powers for sexual purpose.

With immediate effect, the inquiry recommends that the College of Policing, in collaboration with police force recruitment, should ensure that every candidate applying to become a police officer undergoes an in-person interview and home visit before vetting and onboarding is progressed.

This should be designed to provide a holistic picture of the candidate and a better understanding of the candidate’s motivations for joining the police and serving the public.

Corresponding guidance and training for home visits must be…