- Conference
- 2015 Police & Justice Service Group Conference
- Date
- 12 June 2015
- Decision
- Carried
Conference understands the need to Vet Police staff both prior to and post-employment. Conference supports the Police Service in its aims to provide a safe and secure provision for the public and the staff who work within it. Threats from corruption and terror are very real and the vetting process is a useful tool in the prevention of both. The application of the vetting process is intrusive by nature and members will occasionally be subject to further investigation which may result in the withdrawal of vetting status.
Some of the forms used in the process are unclear and ambiguous; this conference believes that all forms should be clear and unambiguous, with precise questions that spell out clearly what information is required. Conference believes that where an anomaly is identified through the vetting process that the first action taken by the employer is to interview the individual concerned to check information that has been supplied.
Conference believes that immediately moving matters to a Professional Standards Department investigation is not in the best interest of the organisation or the individual concerned. The default position that an individual is either lying or disingenuous is unacceptable. Each case should be dealt with under its own circumstances and a proportionate response be forthcoming.
Conference instructs the Service Group Executive to:
1)contact branches requesting information about where the vetting process could be improved;
2)based on the information collected and taking into account the issues raised above, to call for a review of the vetting procedures through the National Vetting Working group of which UNISON has a seat.