Legal Update - 13 July 2026
From 13 July 2026, the Police (Conduct and Vetting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 amend the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 and the Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025, in the main, to strengthen police suspension arrangements and introduce mandatory vetting standards for the police.
Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020
Regulation 11 of the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 is fully substituted to provide that the appropriate authority must suspend the officer where the suspension condition is met, that being that the effective investigation of the case may be prejudiced unless the officer concerned is suspended, or the public interest otherwise requires that the officer should be suspended.
New regulations 11A to 11H are inserted into the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 to further provide for suspension arrangements.
Regulation 11A – Review of suspension under regulation 11: representations may be made against a suspension under regulation 11 to the appropriate authority and that appropriate authority must review whether the suspension condition is met.
Regulation 11B – Regulation 11 supplementary: officer investigated in relation to a criminal offence: this introduces a new requirement for decision makers to actively consider suspension within three working days of a police officer coming under investigation for a criminal offence, where an assessment has been made that the alleged conduct, if proven, would amount to gross misconduct.
Regulation 11C - Regulations 11 and 11A supplementary: officer arrested or questioned under caution in relation to a relevant offence: this introduces a presumption of suspension if a police officer is either arrested or interviewed (including voluntary interview) under caution for any relevant criminal offence – including an attempt or conspiracy to commit a listed offence. The relevant offences are listed in the newly inserted Schedule 3.
Regulation 11D - Decision not to suspend in regulation 11C cases: notification to senior authority.
Regulation 11E - Regulations 11 and 11A supplementary: officer arrested or questioned under caution in relation to an offence involving domestic abuse: this introduces a presumption of suspension if a police officer is either arrested or interviewed (including voluntary interview) under caution for any offence involving domestic abuse.
Regulation 11F - Automatic or mandatory suspension: officer charged with a relevant offence: this provides that a police officer is automatically suspended - or, in limited cases where automatic suspension is not possible, liable to mandatory suspension - where they are charged with any relevant criminal offence specified in the newly inserted Schedule 3.
Regulation 11G - Mandatory suspension: officer charged with an offence involving domestic abuse: this provides that a police officer is automatically suspended - or, in limited cases where automatic suspension is not possible, liable to mandatory suspension - where they are charged with any offence involving domestic abuse.
Regulation 11H - Review of suspension under regulation 11G: offences involving domestic abuse: representations may be made to the appropriate authority against the domestic abuse assessment, and this must be reviewed by the appropriate authority.
Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025
The Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 are amended in a way that places relevant sections of the College of Policing’s Vetting Code of Practice into legislation.
Part 1A is inserted into the Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 and this includes new regulations 4B to 4H which provide the vetting clearance of police candidates.
Regulation 4B - Appointment to a police force: requirement to hold vetting clearance etc.: this introduces a requirement for police candidates to hold vetting clearance in order to be appointed to a police force and for the vetting authority to carry out relevant checks to assess a police candidate’s suitability to hold vetting clearance.
Regulation 4C – Timings: this provides that the vetting application assessment must be done as close as reasonably practicable to the date of appointment and, in any event, within 6 months. If the date of appointment in postponed to take this beyond 6 months, the candidate must reapply for vetting clearance.
Regulation 4D - Suitability to hold vetting clearance: criminal convictions and cautions: this provides that a police candidate is unsuitable to hold vetting clearance where the candidate has been convicted of a criminal offence resulting in a custodial sentence, has been subject to the notification requirements for registered sex offenders, or has been cautioned or convicted for an offence which is deemed to involve domestic abuse or for an offence which is listed in the newly inserted Schedule – and this includes an offence of attempt or conspiracy to commit a specified offence.
Regulation 4E - Variation and revocation of a police candidate’s vetting clearance.
Regulation 4F - Duty to provide police candidate with detailed reasons for certain decisions.
Regulation 4G - Right of appeal against decisions in respect of police candidates.
Regulation 4H - Record of vetting clearance: police candidates.
Regulations 5A to 5F are inserted into the Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 to strengthen the vetting framework of police officers.
Regulation 5A - Review of vetting clearance: this states that a vetting authority may carry out necessary checks from time to time in specified circumstances.
Regulation 5B - Renewal of vetting clearance: this provides that a vetting authority must send an application for vetting clearance to a police officer to whom it has granted vetting clearance on or before the renewal date of that vetting clearance. The renewal date may be postponed if there is good reason to do so.
Regulation 5C - Officers seeking to transfer from one police force to another: the officer may not be transferred and appointed unless they hold vetting clearance granted by the vetting authority of the police force they are transferring to. Additionally, this provides that a police candidate must notify the vetting authority if there is a change in their circumstances which may reasonably affect their suitability to hold vetting clearance (regulation 5C(9)). Failure to disclose this information may impact the candidate’s vetting clearance.
Regulation 5D - Suitability to hold vetting clearance: criminal offences: an officer is unsuitable to hold vetting clearance if they have been convicted of a criminal offence resulting in a custodial sentence, have been subject to the notification requirements for registered sex offenders, or have been cautioned or convicted for an offence which is deemed to involve domestic abuse or is included in the list of specified within these regulations (including an offence of attempt or conspiracy to commit a specified offence). Officers are also unsuitable to hold vetting clearance if they have any other caution or conviction, unless there are particular circumstances which justify the officer being regarded as suitable to hold vetting clearance. Unless successfully rebutted, the officer’s vetting clearance will be withdrawn or declined.
Regulation 5E - Duty to provide police officer with detailed reasons for certain decisions.
Regulation 5F - Right of appeal against decisions in respect of police officers.
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