FOI 239756
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 239756
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 3rd April 2023. Please find below the response to your request:
Please treat this as a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and provide the following information in relation to your pre-employment applicant and post-employment employee vetting processes:
1 What is the vetting process for people when initially joining your force? Please provide documentation.
2 What is your process for checking the identity of people applying to join the force? Please provide documentation.
3 Please confirm whether applicants are subjected to biometric vetting (fingerprints and DNA).
4 The College of Policing APP on Vetting refers to 'checkable history': please specify the history of an applicant that is checked in vetting by your force.
5 What is the vetting process that you operate for officers and staff transferring to your force from another police force? Please provide copy of documentation setting out the process.
6 What is the vetting process for officers and staff transferring within your force to a different role? Please provide copy of documentation setting out the process.
7 What is your process or procedure for vetting of transgender people? Please provide documentation setting out the process/procedure.
8 How often is vetting clearance reviewed/renewed in your force?
9 What is the process for reviewing/renewing vetting for officers and staff. Please provide copy of documentation setting out the process.
Reply
Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires West Mercia Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which: (a) states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.
The exemption applicable to the information is:
Sec 21(1) Information Reasonably Accessible by Other Means
This is an Absolute, class based exemption.
The information that you require is already available on the College of Policing website https://www.college.police.uk/app/professional-standards/vetting
The sections you require in the Vetting App document are highlighted under the questions below.
What is the vetting process for people when initially joining your force? Please provide documentation. – HR put the applicant on our Core-vet system for them to complete a vetting form and then we start our checks.
What is your process for checking the identity of people applying to join the force? Please provide documentation.
At interview ID is taken and photocopied and sent to HR. This is completed by HR. 7.1 Authentication
Please confirm whether applicants are subjected to biometric vetting (fingerprints and DNA). – Only if an officer or a role that requires it. 7.23 Biometric vetting
The College of Policing APP on Vetting refers to 'checkable history': please specify the history of an applicant that is checked in vetting by your force. – Need to live in the UK for at least three years and higher levels will need more years. 7.5 Checkable history
7.6 Residency criteria
What is the vetting process that you operate for officers and staff transferring to your force from another police force? Please provide copy of documentation setting out the process. – Full re-vet. 7.13 Transferees and those with previous police service
What is the vetting process for officers and staff transferring within your force to a different role? Please provide copy of documentation setting out the process.
Depends on role and vetting is checked in all areas. As above 7.13
What is your process or procedure for vetting of transgender people? Please provide documentation setting out the process/procedure. – 4.2 Gender Recognition Act
How often is vetting clearance reviewed/renewed in your force? They are reviewed as a data wash, annual reviews for MV vetting and 7 years a full re-vet. RV 4.5 years review and every 9 years a full re-vet. Or at any point of concern. 8.49 Renewing clearance
What is the process for reviewing/renewing vetting for officers and staff. Please provide copy of documentation setting out the process. This is stored on the core-vet system with dates.