The Police (Conduct and Vetting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

15 Insertion of Part 1A

After Part 1 insert— Part 1A Vetting Clearance: Police Candidates Appointment to a police force: requirement to hold vetting clearance etc. 4B (1) A police candidate must not be appointed to a police force unless they hold vetting clearance which was granted by the vetting authority of the police force to which they are seeking appointment within the period of 6 months ending with the date of appointment. (2) To apply for vetting clearance, a police candidate— (a) must have first completed each of the recruitment stages mentioned in regulation 10(1)(eb) of the Police Regulations 2003, and (b) must submit an application for vetting clearance to the vetting authority of the police force to which they are seeking appointment in a form and manner approved by the vetting authority. (3) A vetting authority may grant a police candidate vetting clearance only if— (a) the candidate has applied for vetting clearance in accordance with paragraph (2), (b) the vetting authority has carried out a vetting application assessment in respect of the candidate, and (c) the vetting authority is satisfied that the candidate is suitable to hold vetting clearance (see further regulation 4D). (4) Where a vetting authority grants a police candidate vetting clearance, it— (a) must specify the renewal date of the vetting clearance, and (b) may grant the vetting clearance subject to conditions. (5) A police candidate who has applied for vetting clearance or been granted vetting clearance must promptly notify the vetting authority of the police force to which they are seeking appointment of any change in their personal circumstance or any other matter which may reasonably affect their suitability to hold vetting clearance. Timings 4C (1) Where a police candidate has applied for vetting clearance in accordance with regulation 4B(2), the vetting authority of the police force to which they are seeking appointment must carry out the vetting application assessment required by regulation 4B(3)(b) as close as reasonably practicable to the date of appointment, and in any event within the period of six months ending with that date. (2) If the date of appointment is postponed so that the period beginning with the day on which the police candidate is granted vetting clearance and ending with the date of appointment is more than six months, the police candidate must reapply for vetting clearance. Suitability to hold vetting clearance: criminal convictions and cautions 4D (1) This regulation applies for the purposes of a vetting authority considering whether a police candidate is suitable to hold vetting clearance. (2) A police candidate is not suitable to hold vetting clearance if the candidate— (a) has engaged in conduct which attracts automatic disqualification under regulation 10(2A) of the Police Regulations 2003, or (b) has been convicted of, or given a caution for, an offence falling outside regulation 10(2A) of the Police Regulations 2003, unless there are particular circumstances relevant to the candidate’s case which justify the candidate being regarded as suitable to hold vetting clearance notwithstanding the commission of that offence. Variation and revocation of a police candidate’s vetting clearance 4E (1) Where a vetting authority has granted a police candidate vetting clearance, the vetting authority may, if it considers it appropriate to do so, add, remove or vary a condition to which the candidate’s vetting clearance is subject. (2) If a vetting authority considers that a police candidate to whom it has granted vetting clearance is no longer suitable to hold vetting clearance, it must revoke the candidate’s vetting clearance. Duty to provide police candidate with detailed reasons for certain decisions 4F (1) Where a vetting authority makes a decision under this Part to— (a) grant a police candidate vetting clearance subject to conditions, (b) decline to grant a police candidate vetting clearance, (c) add or vary a condition to which a police candidate’s vetting clearance is subject, or (d) revoke a police candidate’s vetting clearance, it must, subject to paragraph (2), provide the police candidate with detailed reasons in writing for its decision. (2) The vetting authority must not provide the police candidate with information in so far as it considers that any of the reasons for preventing disclosure of information listed in regulation 8(2)(a) to (g) apply to that information; and for the purposes of this paragraph, regulation 8(2)(d) is to be read as if “other” were omitted. Right of appeal against decisions in respect of police candidates 4G (1) A police candidate may appeal against a decision of a vetting authority mentioned in regulation 4F(1). (2) The appeal must be made to a person nominated by the vetting authority (“the vetting appeal decision maker”) who— (a) has the appropriate level of knowledge, skills and experience to carry out the appeal, and (b) was not involved in the decision appealed against. (3) The only grounds of appeal under this regulation are that— (a) the decision was unreasonable; (b) there is evidence that could not reasonably have been considered as part of the decision which could have materially affected the decision; (c) there was procedural or other unfairness which could have materially affected the decision. (4) On completion of the appeal, the vetting appeal decision maker must make a written report to the vetting authority setting out its decision and providing detailed reasons in writing for its decision. (5) Before making any decision to add or vary a condition to which the police officer’s vetting clearance is subject, the vetting appeal decision maker must consult with the vetting authority. (6) The vetting authority must uphold the decision of the vetting appeal decision maker. Record of vetting clearance: police candidates 4H (1) A vetting authority must keep a record of— (a) each application for vetting clearance that it receives from a police candidate, including the decision on the application and the reasons for the decision, (b) each decision that it makes to add, remove or vary a condition to which a police candidate’s vetting clearance is subject, or to revoke a police candidate’s vetting clearance, and the reasons for its decision, and (c) each report made to it under regulation 4G(4). (2) Where the vetting authority has considered any information which indicates that the police candidate may not be or is not suitable to hold vetting clearance, the record of reasons mentioned in paragraph (1)(a) or (b) must be a detailed record. .