World News
Late police officer passed vetting despite criminal record, investigation reveals
Vetting staff accepted Alan Greer into Strathclyde Police in 2009 despite awareness of a formal police caution for making inappropriate calls to women.
The short version
- Late police officer Alan Greer was accepted into Strathclyde Police in 2009 despite vetting staff being aware of a 2005 Metropolitan Police formal caution for inappropriate phone calls to a woman.
- Greer committed serious sexual offenses, including rape, and interacted with hundreds of sex workers during his 17-year career before taking his own life in May following a police raid.
- Police Scotland previously claimed there were no missed opportunities to identify his offending, but later clarified that those statements referred strictly to his behavior during his service rather than his initial recruitment vetting.
- An independent review by the National Police Chiefs' Council will examine Strathclyde Police's 2009 vetting process.
Key facts
- Alan Greer was investigated by police in 2002 for making inappropriate calls to a woman in Glasgow, though no action was taken by the procurator fiscal.[BBC News]
- The Metropolitan Police issued Greer a formal caution in 2005 for making inappropriate phone calls to a woman in London.[BBC News]
- Strathclyde Police recruited Greer in 2009, with Police Scotland confirming that vetting staff were aware of his 2005 caution at the time.[BBC News]
- Greer served as an officer for 17 years and died by suicide in May following a police raid on his home linked to an investigation into sexual offenses.[BBC News]
- Police Scotland has identified 15 victims associated with Greer's offending.[BBC News]
- Craig Naylor, chief inspector of HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland, stated that Greer's background should have barred him from joining under 2009 standards.[BBC News]
What remains uncertain
Sources
- Serial rapist police officer passed vetting despite warnings, BBC revealsBBC News - Top Stories