Poor security checks ‘put Met cops at risk of infiltration by crime gangs’

BRITAIN’S biggest police force is wide open to infiltration by criminal gangs due to sloppy security checks, Europe’s rights watchdog has warned.

The Council of Europe said “inconsistent and tardy” checks on officers joining the Metropolitan Police presented a serious threat.

Experts said new staff could be “exploited” and “influenced” by criminals that they come into contact with in the line of duty.

They made the remarks in a new report out today exploring how corruption in Britain should be better tackled.

It recommends spending more money on internal security checks within the Met and boosting protection for police whistleblowers.

The document was produced by the Group of States Against Corruption, a 49-member organisation of which the UK is a part.

It states: “Re-vetting often does not take place as it should or with great delay, which is reportedly linked to insufficient resources.

“This represents a serious weakness of the system, all the more so that there have been reports of criminal organisations trying to infiltrate the police forces.

“Vetting at regular intervals is an indispensable tool to prevent attempts to corrupt officers already in post and who through their daily work may be in contact with people linked to criminal networks.”

The report also takes aim at central government, saying the UK should be “more proactive rather than reacting to problems as they arise”.