The Metropolitan Police Service (Met Police) has reportedly employed more than 1,000 officers without verifying their references prior to their start dates, raising concerns about the integrity of its recruitment processes.

This practice persisted for up to 18 months starting in 2020, during which the Met Police did not adhere to officially recommended guidelines from the College of Policing, which stipulate the necessity of obtaining character references for new recruits.

Sources indicate that while some reference checks were conducted after recruits had started their roles, many of these checks were not pursued vigorously, leading to a lapse in oversight.

This revelation follows the public outcry regarding the recruitment and vetting failures that allowed Wayne Couzens, a former police officer, to commit the abduction, rape, and murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021. Couzens had previously faced an accusation of indecent exposure and was battling personal debt, yet remained a serving officer.

Following the case's fallout, Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley committed to improving standards and removing officers unfit for duty, particularly in light of high-profile incidents involving officers, including serial rapist David Carrick.

The decision to forego reference checks was reportedly made by the Met's human resources chief Clare Davies, amid pressures from the government to increase police recruitment by 20,000 officers within a three-year timeframe.

During this period, the Met was tasked with onboarding more than 4,500 recruits but fell short, hiring only 3,468.

New recruits to the Met were vetted for prior convictions and connections to crime, but the lack of reference checks is being scrutinized amid ongoing examinations of the force’s historic hiring practices.

The findings may be submitted to a public inquiry led by Dame Elish Angiolini, which was established by the Home Office in response to the Everard case.

Dame Elish previously expressed disbelief that Couzens’ past would not have disqualified him from service had it been known during the vetting process.

The inquiry follows a wider review led by Baroness Casey in 2023, which highlighted significant issues within the Met, labelling it as institutionally problematic in multiple areas, including racism and misogyny.

Furthermore, recent High Court decisions have complicated the ability to remove officers who do not meet vetting requirements, as demonstrated in the case of Sergeant Lino Di Maria, who successfully challenged the removal of his vetting over sexual assault allegations, which he denies.

Sir Mark Rowley noted that the implications of such rulings leave the police force in a precarious situation, incurring substantial costs associated with officers who remain on paid leave while being unfit for duty.

The Met has initiated several operations in response to the controversies; Operation Assure focuses on the vetting processes for officers with behavioural concerns, while Operation Onyx scrutinizes sexual offence and domestic abuse allegations involving officers from April 2012 to April 2022. Currently, there are 29 officers awaiting investigation post-vetting removal, with an additional 96 having been dismissed or resigned.

Financially, maintaining officers on special leave is projected to cost the Met at least £2 million annually.

In light of these events, the Met Police has stated its commitment to enhancing vetting standards, bolstering its recruitment frameworks, and integrating new technologies to ensure that only those who meet high standards are permitted to serve.