Avon & Somerset Police hired officers with criminal records and cautions without properly assessing the risks, a damning report has revealed.

Government inspectors found the force repeatedly ignored red flags when vetting recruits – including one case described as posing "several significant corruption risks".

A report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), published today (Wednesday, October 29), said senior officers overturned decisions to reject applicants and failed to record reasons for doing so.

Inspectors said that out of 37 vetting cases reviewed over the past three years, the force didn't "consider identified risks or relevant risk mitigations" in 10 of them.

One of those recruits was initially refused clearance by the vetting unit after serious corruption concerns were raised. But that decision was later reversed by senior officers, with no rationale recorded – and the individual went on to work in the force for several years.

The watchdog said: "Given the corruption risk posed, this isn't acceptable. We brought this case to the personal attention of the chief constable."

Inspectors also found that oversight of misconduct and complaint investigations was poor, with senior supervision recorded in only three of 13 cases.

The HMICFRS report concluded that Avon & Somerset Police must tighten up vetting procedures, improve its professional standards work, and better monitor IT use to detect corruption or misconduct.

It stated: "We reviewed 37 vetting clearance decisions from the three years preceding our inspection. These files related to police personnel who had previously committed criminal offences or who the constabulary had other concerns about.

"We agreed with 27 of the constabulary's decisions. But in the remaining 10 cases, the recorded rationale didn't consider all identified risks or relevant risk mitigations."

The report added that some applicants with criminal records or cautions were approved without proper review, and in five cases there was no recorded reasoning at all.

In response, Avon & Somerset Police said it accepted the findings "with humility and determination" and had already acted on the recommendations.

A spokesperson said: "We recognise that our integrity is fundamental to the public's trust and confidence in policing, and to our legitimacy to serve our communities.

"Over the past four years, we have invested significant resources – money, technology, and some of our best people – into our Professional Standards Department, Counter Corruption Unit, and vetting."

Deputy Chief Constable Jon Reilly said: "We are committed to continuous improvement and welcome ongoing scrutiny.

"We know that maintaining integrity is a journey, not a destination, and we will not be complacent. Our communities deserve nothing less.

"Public confidence in police depends on officers and staff showing high standards of professional behaviour day in, day out. The vast majority dedicate their lives to keeping the public safe, but there is no place in policing for those who do not share our values."

He said the force was already improving its procedures with new guidance on conflicts of interest, more senior oversight of complaints, and a larger counter-corruption team.

Reporting by: Adam Postans, LDRS.