Link: https://youtu.be/CfGwbV-rM7k

Police Vetting: The Hidden Hurdle That Breaks Hearts at the Final Stage

Why Excellent Candidates Fail Vetting and How to Avoid Their Mistakes

While most police candidates focus on mastering competency questions, preparing for fitness tests, and studying for written exercises, there's a critical hurdle lurking at the end of the process that derails countless promising careers: vetting.

What makes vetting particularly heartbreaking is its timing—it typically comes after you've invested months in the recruitment process, passed all assessments, and perhaps even been given a start date. Only then do forces conduct their thorough background checks, and by that point, you're emotionally invested in your police career.

After supporting thousands of candidates through recruitment, I've seen too many exceptional people pass every assessment with flying colours, only to fall at this final hurdle—often for issues they could have addressed or disclosed properly from the beginning.

Why Police Vetting Is Different (And Stricter)

Police vetting is fundamentally different from vetting for other roles, including military positions, prison officer roles, or even civilian police staff positions like PCSOs or detention officers.

This heightened scrutiny exists for good reason—police officers have significant powers, access to sensitive information, and must maintain public trust. However, the lack of clear information about vetting requirements leads many candidates into avoidable pitfalls.

Common Vetting Failures (And How to Avoid Them)

1. Undisclosed Associations

One of the most common vetting failures involves associates with criminal histories or connections.

The pitfall: Many candidates don't mention past associates because they no longer have contact with them, or they don't consider them "associates" anymore.

Real example: One candidate failed because they didn't disclose someone they were stopped with in a car years earlier. The individual later developed a criminal record, and although the candidate had no recent contact, the failure to mention this connection triggered a vetting failure.

How to avoid it: Disclose every person you've associated with who has had police contact or criminal convictions—even if:

• You haven't seen them in years

• They're just Facebook friends you haven't spoken to

• The association was brief or circumstantial

• You've deliberately distanced yourself from them

Even relatives should be disclosed if they have criminal histories. Some forces, like Sussex in one case I worked with, will make accommodations—restricting where you can be posted rather than rejecting you outright—but only if you've been completely transparent.

2. Incomplete Disclosure of Police Contact

The pitfall: Vetting forms typically ask for "cautions, convictions, or arrests," leading candidates to omit other forms of police contact.

Real example: Candidates have failed vetting for not disclosing stop and searches, stop checks, or even being spoken to by officers, despite the form only explicitly asking about arrests, cautions, and convictions.

How to avoid it: Disclose every interaction you've ever had with police, no matter how minor or how long ago. This includes:

• Stop and searches

• Vehicle stop checks

• Witness statements

• Being spoken to about incidents (even if you weren't involved)

• Any documented police contact whatsoever

The worst that can happen if you over-disclose is the vetting officer crosses out unnecessary information. The worst that happens if you under-disclose is automatic failure.

3. Inaccurate Dates or Details

The pitfall: Getting dates wrong, even by a year, can be interpreted as deliberate deception.

Real example: One candidate was rejected because they got the year wrong for a domestic incident allegation (that resulted in no further action) from nearly 20 years ago. The discrepancy was enough for the force to fail them on vetting, despite the incident itself not being disqualifying.

How to avoid it: Submit a Subject Access Request to your local police force before applying. This will show you exactly what information they hold about you, including accurate dates of any incidents. While forces differ in their processes, you can typically request this information through your local force's website.

4. Automatic Disqualifiers You Should Know Before Applying

Some convictions or incidents automatically disqualify candidates, either permanently or for a set period. Yet many forces don't make these clear until you've failed vetting.

Real examples:

• Drink driving convictions (DR10) require 10 years to elapse before application

• Multiple speeding offences leading to near-disqualification

• No insurance convictions

• Certain cautions, even from childhood

How to avoid wasted time: Research vetting requirements thoroughly before applying. For a helpful, readable guide, search for "Avon and Somerset Police vetting" which provides clear information on disqualification periods for various offences.

Force Variations: A Postcode Lottery

Despite national vetting guidelines, there are significant variations in how forces apply these standards. I've seen candidates rejected by one force for minor vetting issues, only to be welcomed by neighbouring forces.

Some forces are extremely risk-averse, while others take a more pragmatic approach, especially when the issue is:

• Historical

• Minor in nature

• Mitigated by subsequent good character

• Related to associates rather than your own conduct

If you fail vetting with one force, consider:

1. Appealing the decision (with professional support)

2. Requesting a vetting interview to explain circumstances

3. Applying to a different force with more balanced risk assessment

The Appeal Process: Don't Give Up Without a Fight

If you receive a vetting failure notification, you typically have the right to appeal. This process varies by force but often includes:

1. A written appeal outlining why the decision should be reconsidered

2. A potential vetting interview

3. Review by a senior vetting officer or panel

When crafting your appeal:

• Remove emotional language (vetting officers tend to respond to facts, not feelings)

• Clearly explain mitigating circumstances

• Demonstrate how risk can be managed

• Suggest practical solutions (like the Sussex example, where posting restrictions were implemented)

Many of my clients have successfully overturned vetting decisions through well-structured appeals, particularly when the issue related to third-party associations or historical minor matters.

A Call for Change: Pre-Vetting Checks

One of the most frustrating aspects of the current system is that vetting comes at the end of a lengthy process. I believe forces should conduct preliminary vetting checks before candidates invest months in assessments and interviews.

The candidate I mentioned with a drink driving conviction spent a year preparing and passing assessments, only to be told he couldn't join for another four years due to the 10-year rule. This heartbreak could have been avoided with a simple pre-check.

Protecting Your Police Career Before It Begins

If you're considering applying to the police, take these steps now:

1. Submit a Subject Access Request to understand what information police hold about you

2. Research specific vetting requirements for your target force

3. Create a comprehensive list of all police contacts and associations

4. Be meticulously honest in your disclosures, even if it seems overly cautious

5. Consider seeking professional advice if you have concerns about specific incidents or associations

Ready to Navigate the Vetting Process Successfully?

While I can't change vetting outcomes, I can help you prepare properly, disclose correctly, and if necessary, appeal effectively. For many candidates, it's not the actual history that causes failure, but how it's disclosed and explained.

Our coaching services include vetting preparation and appeal support to complement our assessment centre and interview coaching. With the right approach, many vetting issues can be successfully navigated.

Click here to learn more about our services or join our Facebook community of 22,000+ members, where many have shared their vetting experiences and success strategies.

Don't let vetting be the hidden hurdle that ends your police career before it begins. With proper preparation and full disclosure, you can approach this final stage with confidence rather than anxiety.