Vetting Officer - Herts
The Beds, Cambs & Herts Police Vetting Unit are looking for Vetting Officers to make reasonable and proportionate decisions on a case by case basis, about the suitability of applicants to the workforce or their continued presence in the workforce. It is a complex and responsible job.
You will need a genuine interest in people and an inquisitive mind into both information disclosed by applicants and data found on the systems you’ll have access to. You will separate what is relevant and what isn’t as well as challenge to get to the truth about a particular matter.
In this vital role, through your verbal or written communication you’ll put individuals at ease and encourage them to be open about personal and sensitive matters. This could include everything from criminality, family history, social life and personal relationships to financial affairs and social network behaviour. It takes diplomacy, discretion and emotional intelligence to find honest answers. You will need to instil trust and support to discover unedited life stories which requires both empathy and assertiveness.
You will build rapport with applicants and have an innate sense for the truth. You’ll know when to dig a little deeper, with the ability to spot inaccuracies or inconsistencies. No matter what you hear or see, you will remain professional and fair. You will need to challenge the information with either the applicant or others both verbally and in writing. Report writing must be balanced, succinct and clear and decision making in line with the police national decision model, summarising your analysis and recommending or deciding whether someone should hold a particular Police Security or National Security Vetting clearance.
Your interactions and vetting decisions must be without conscious or unconscious bias and will be open to scrutiny. In line with the Police Service in general, we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and characteristics.
Vetting Officers see the good, the bad, and everything in between. It’s about having insightful, confidential communication with people to build a full picture of who they are and excluding individuals who have unsuitable characteristics. By doing so, you are helping to keep local communities protected and safe and ensuring public confidence in policing.
This is on the whole a weekday office-based job using various databases to help you but on occasions you will need to be able to conduct interviews of applicants with a vetting colleague. You will work on cases as part of the National Security Vetting process and will interact with anti-corruption colleagues and review vetting after misconduct cases have taken place.
In return, you’ll have a rewarding, varied and fulfilling job as part of a skilled and experienced team who play a vital part in keeping the community safe and upholding ethical policing standards.
Please note that the role is initially for a temporary 12 month contract, but is subject to review.
For further information regarding the vacancy please contact the BCH Vetting team BCHvetting@herts.police.uk please quote the vacancy reference number in your correspondence.
Additional Advert Information
- Internal Applicants
To apply for this role, internal applicants must have successfully completed their probationary period.
If you qualify as an internal candidate within the advertising force, you may upload either your CV or the internal role summary form attached to this advert.
- Vetting Process
Please note that, as part of the vetting process, the BCH Vetting Unit may need to contact your current line manager for a Supervisor Appraisal. This requirement aligns with the 2025 National Guidelines for Vetting (APP 6.5.18).
Examples of when this may apply include:
- Transferring to another force
- Renewing vetting clearance
- Moving into a role requiring MV clearance (even if you currently hold MV clearance)
- Moving into or working in a role involving close contact with vulnerable individuals
If any of the above apply to you, please expect your line manager to be contacted when you submit your vetting application.
- Redeployment and Redundancy
This vacancy is open to employees at risk of redundancy and will remain available to redeployees until a final offer has been agreed and accepted.
Redeployees at risk of redundancy will take priority over all other applicants at any stage of the recruitment process. If successful, redeployees will remain on their home force’s terms and conditions.
- Role Profile
We recommend downloading and saving a copy of the role profile, as it will no longer be accessible once the advert closes.
- Commitment to Inclusion
As a Disability Confident Leader, we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and able to be themselves. We provide workplace adjustments wherever needed so that all colleagues can thrive.
If you have a disability and meet the minimum criteria for the role, you will be guaranteed an interview under the Offer an Interview Scheme.