Police Re-Vetting in Scotland: What the New Rules Mean for Serving Officers

Updated September 2026 to reflect the Police Service of Scotland (Vetting) Regulations 2026, which came into force on 1 April 2026.

Every police constable in Scotland must now hold and maintain vetting clearance, and can be re-vetted throughout their career. For officers who joined under a very different regime, this is one of the most significant changes to the terms of police service in a generation.

Until recently, officers were vetted on entry to the service, on re-entry, and when seeking higher clearance for specialised roles or ranks. Vetting was administered by policing organisations themselves rather than set out in law. That has now changed.

The Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 4 March 2025 and required Scottish Ministers to make regulations for the ongoing vetting of constables. Those regulations, the Police Service of Scotland (Vetting) Regulations 2026, came into force on 1 April 2026. Scotland is the first jurisdiction in the UK to put police vetting on a statutory footing in this way.

What the 2026 Regulations require

Every constable must hold and maintain vetting clearance. The chief constable must re-assess clearance at intervals, and may require an officer to undergo vetting at any time if a reason to do so arises. Where there is concern that an officer may no longer be suitable, a withdrawal assessment considers whether clearance should be withdrawn or downgraded. Officers can be supported by a police representative, and legal representation is available. There is an appeal process, including an appeal meeting, and appeals have already reached the First-tier Tribunal.

The consequences are serious. Because holding clearance is now a condition of office, an officer who loses all vetting clearance faces dismissal.

Why the law changed

Statutory police vetting across the UK follows the murder of Sarah Everard in 2021 by Wayne Couzens, then a serving Metropolitan Police officer, who used his warrant card to carry out a fake arrest. Couzens is serving a whole-life term. The Metropolitan Police was accused of failing to investigate earlier incidents of indecent exposure and predatory behaviour.

Following that case and others, re-vetting has been introduced across the UK.

What it means for serving officers

The implications are far-reaching. Officers who have served for many years may now be at risk of dismissal if they cannot meet vetting requirements. While that may be a welcome development where an officer should not be in service, others may find their employment at risk through association, for example a relative with a criminal conviction. The power to re-vet whenever a reason arises is broadly drawn, and there are legitimate concerns about how it could be used where an officer falls out of favour, or to sidestep the procedural safeguards that apply in conduct proceedings.

PBW Law advises officers and representative bodies on vetting, including withdrawal assessments, appeals and judicial review. You can read more on our police vetting page, or call us on 0141 439 1990.