UK Police Cannot Dismiss Officers Solely by Revoking Vetting Clearances

The Mayor of London spoke about a recent court decision. It involves the Metropolitan Police and officer dismissals. The court said they can’t fire officers just by removing vetting.

Sergeant Lino Di Maria challenged the vetting removal. He had support from the Police Federation. Sexual assault accusations prompted the action. Di Maria denies these allegations, and misconduct probes found no case against him.

He claimed the vetting removal was unfair. He said it violated his right to a fair trial. The Met Police worried about their ability to dismiss officers. They cited sexual or domestic abuse allegations.

Mayor Khan reacted to Judge Lang’s ruling. He said this impacts the Met’s reform efforts. Khan wants to remove officers unfit to serve and will collaborate with the Met Commissioner. He aims to rebuild public trust.

The Met Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, will appeal. He feels the ruling harms national law enforcement. The judge identified a legal gap. Rowley urges the government to create new rules for better vetting regulations.

The Home Office stated public trust depends on high standards. They believe officers must meet these expectations. The government will introduce stricter rules to help forces dismiss officers who fail vetting. Current processes exist for misconduct allegations, and forces should use them to remove bad personnel.