Police standards and vetting will be a priority for the next Labour government

On Monday, on the eve of International Womens Day, the Independent Office for Police Conduct released a new report into WhatsApp messages sent by Wayne Couzens and others in 2019. The racism, misogyny and violent language makes for appalling reading.

Once again, the police are in the spotlight for their bad behaviour. The majority of police officers do a noble job, running into danger when most of us would turn away. But there are systemic issues around misconduct and standards. I’m sickened by what I’ve read.

The Operation Argens report is the latest in a long line of significant warnings of police standards failures in the last decade – warnings which now surely are reaching their crescendo. After the murders of Sarah Everard, Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman, the case of child Q, the Charing Cross report and the Stephen Port Inquiry, thousands of people across the country have called for change.

As well as significant cases of police misconduct, for years there have been warnings from the Independent Inspectorate about serious problems in the police misconduct system, including long delays, lack of disciplinary action, disturbing and systematic racial disparities and lack of monitoring.

Despite calls from policing bodies, the public, Labour and campaigners, the government has failed to act. Conservative ministers have promised action but have completely failed to introduce any new national standards or requirements or any serious changes to police vetting, conduct and misconduct processes.

At present, police forces have limited legal duties with regards to their vetting procedures – leaving a patchwork across the country, and no tough enforcement to ensure they follow the rules.

The next Labour government will introduce new national compulsory standards on vetting, checks and misconduct. Labour will end the postcode lottery in police standards, by introducing mandatory professional standards in place of current guidance for forces and using His Majesty’s Inspectorate to hold police forces to account for compliance.

We will suspend officers accused of rape and domestic abuse whilst their cases are investigated. We will make sure forces are automatically notified if any new information is placed on the Police National Database in relation to their officers and staff. We will make it a requirement for non-conviction information to be shared and considered when an officer moves between forces, or when an individual applies to join the police.

Even the former Conservative Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has backed Labour’s call for legal requirements on professional standards. It shouldn’t take another review for the Home Secretary to work out that the police misconduct system is not delivering.

This International Women’s Day, we must keep the victims of violence against women and girls at the front of our minds. We cannot rest until women and girls feel safe on the streets and in their homes, and feel that the police are on their side. Nothing less will be good enough.

It is astonishing that national mandatory standards on vetting misconduct and training are not already in place. The Home Secretary needs to show some leadership and act to deliver higher standards in policing. While this government sits back, the next Labour government will step forward and bring in strong new laws on vetting and misconduct to protect the public as they deserve and expect.