Legal and Professional Standards Department - Vetting policy (P04)

1. Summary of changes

1.1. This policy has been reviewed in October 2023 – paragraph 4.1.1 has been updated. 

2. What this policy is about

2.1 This policy is about the vetting procedures adopted by Kent Police in support of its commitment to the maintenance of the highest levels of honesty and integrity and to the prevention of corrupt, dishonest, unethical or unprofessional behaviour. The force is also committed to meeting its diversity and equality responsibilities, and to instil a culture that is fair, inclusive and free from discrimination. The purpose of this policy is to support that commitment by creating fair and effective vetting procedures for the recruitment and deployment of persons working for, or in partnership with, the force and also includes an aftercare regime. There are two categories of vetting procedures, namely force vetting (FV) and national security vetting (NSV).

3. Statement of policy

3.1 This policy and its SOPs are designed to be compliant with the College of Policing's Vetting Code of Practice and APP Vetting. Levels of force vetting applied include recruitment vetting (RV), management vetting (MV), and non-police personnel vetting levels 1, 2 (abbreviated), 2 (full) and 3 (NPPV 1, 2 (abbreviated), 2 (full) and 3). national security vetting comprises counter terrorist check (CTC), security check (SC), and developed vetting (DV).

3.2 All vetting procedures must be underpinned by the completion of the authentication procedure outlined in SOP P04a – Authentication procedure for new employees.

3.3 Force vetting (FV) and national security vetting (NSV) are separate processes, designed to counter specific threats. The purpose of FV is to provide a level of assurance, as to the integrity of individuals who have access to sensitive criminal intelligence, financial, or operational police assets. The purpose of NSV is to protect sensitive national security assets, by providing an acceptable level of assurance as to the integrity of individuals who have access to protectively marked government assets and/or who require access to persons, sites and materials, at risk of terrorist attack.

3.4 Police officers, police staff, members of the Special Constabulary, staff of partnership agencies, other non-police personnel and those working voluntarily or under contract to the force, must be made aware of, and be required to comply with this policy by those directly responsible for their supervision. The policy applies, without exception, to any applicant for full or reduced hours employment with Kent Police, as a police officer or police staff employee. The policy also includes applicants for the Special Constabulary, contractors, volunteers and others who work in partnership with the force.

4. Implications of the policy

4.1 Finance/staffing/training/other

4.1.1 The vetting team comprises of 16 permanent and 6 temporary full time equivalent staff, including the force vetting manager, vetting team leaders and vetting assistants. 

4.2 Risk assessment

4.2.1 This policy has been assessed as medium risk.

4.3 Equality Impact Assessment (EIA)

4.3.1. An EIA has been carried out and shows the proposals in this policy would have no potential or actual differential impact on grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, transgender, disability, age, religion or belief or sexual orientation.

5. Consultation

• Human Resources
• Business Centre
• Kent and Essex Fingerprint Hub
• Kent and Essex DNA Hub
• Central Vetting Unit Team
• Legal
• Freedom of Information
• IT Security
• Health and Safety
• Finance
• Unison

6. Monitoring and review

6.1. This policy will be monitored, and reviewed after two years, by the force vetting manager. The monitoring will take into consideration any changes in relevant legislation or procedures impacting on force vetting and national security vetting. 

7. Other source documents

None listed.

8. Security

8.1 Kent Police has measures in place to protect the security of your data in accordance with our Information Management policy (Policy W1000 – Information Management).

9. Retention and disposal of records

9.1 Kent Police will hold data in accordance with our Records Review, Retention and Disposal policy (Policy W1012 – Records Review, Retention and Disposal).