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The Metropolitan Police has published a review into historic vetting and recruitment practices, acknowledging that weaknesses in its processes allowed some unsuitable officers and staff to join – or remain in – the force.
The review, known as Operation Jorica, was launched by Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley as part of the Met’s wider drive to raise professional standards and restore public confidence. It examined vetting and hiring practices over the 10 years leading up to April 2023, a period that included the national Police Uplift Programme (PUP), which aimed to recruit 20,000 additional officers across England and Wales.
The Met had a target to recruit 4,557 officers during the programme. The review found that the pace and scale of recruitment, combined with pressures to improve workforce diversity and respond to rising violent crime, led to deviations from national vetting guidance and police regulations.
These departures included not carrying out some national security and Ministry of Defence checks on new recruits, reduced vetting for officers transferring from other forces or returning within a year, and scaled-back checks for vetting renewals. For more than four years, some pre-employment references were not obtained, and greater reliance was placed on vetting panels to reassess candidates who had initially failed checks.
The combined effect, the review concluded, was that a number of officers and staff joined or remained in the Met who would not have passed today’s strengthened standards. In some cases, individuals later became involved in criminal behaviour or serious misconduct.
The findings echo concerns raised by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) in 2022, which warned about the risks of maintaining vetting standards during rapid recruitment. Following the Met’s own findings, HMICFRS has now been commissioned by the Home Office to inspect the force’s recruitment and vetting processes.
The Met said it has already taken significant corrective action. Over the past three years, more than 1,500 officers and staff have exited the organisation for falling short of expected standards – described by the force as the largest clear-out in its history.
All officers identified through Operation Jorica who remain in post have been subject to further checks under the strengthened regime. A total of 39 officers required full re-vetting, with eight referred into the Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 process to determine whether their vetting should be removed and dismissal considered.
Several recommendations from the review have also been shared with national partners, reflecting the wider implications for policing and government policy around recruitment and vetting.
Assistant Commissioner Rachel Williams said publishing the report was intended to demonstrate transparency and accountability. “We are being open and transparent about past vetting and recruitment practices that led, in some cases, to unsuitable people joining the Met,” she said. “This review is part of our ongoing work to demand the highest standards across the Met so the public can have trust and confidence in our officers.”
Williams added that the force had identified the issues internally and acted quickly to strengthen controls, while managing any risks to the public. She also stressed that the vast majority of officers and staff continue to meet high standards of professionalism.
The Met said the review forms part of a broader programme of reform aimed at embedding higher professional standards, improving governance and ensuring consistent compliance with national vetting requirements as recruitment continues in future years.
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