Professional Security Magazine: Trust Is The Cornerstone

Originally posted on Professional Security Magazine, written by Sales Director Tim Stokes.

Last night’s season two premiere of Cops Gone Bad (17/02), hosted by Will Mellor, delivered a sobering look at the harrowing cases of police officers abusing their authority to harm those they were sworn to protect. It’s an uncomfortable but necessary exploration of trust, accountability and the systems designed to prevent unsuitable candidates from entering critical roles, writes Tim Stokes, Sales Director at the employment and reference checking agency Matrix Security Watchdog. 

Yet, for those of us in the screening industry it’s sadly no surprise to learn that a lack of adequate vetting has resulted in devastating consequences – for individuals and communities alike. One of the show’s critical questions is this: How do we stop letting bad apples slip through the net? This is the very essence of why vetting and rescreening must evolve into fundamental, ongoing processes across all organisations – not just policing.

More than one-time

Many of the failures highlighted in the show stem from inadequate or outdated vetting processes. Cliff Mitchell, for example, passed his initial police vetting despite previous accusations of rape. This failure exposed a gap in the system that should never have existed.

It raises the vital need for continuous screening and not just a one-time check at the point of hiring. Screening and rescreening should be viewed as dynamic processes designed to adapt as new information comes to light. It’s essential to monitor behavioural changes or new risks that may emerge over time, especially in roles that hold power over vulnerable people.

Read the full article on Professional Security Magazine, written by Sales Director Tim Stokes.

Continuous screening

The stories in the latest season of Cops Gone Bad reveal to the public once again the systemic cracks that must be addressed. But the solution lies not just in exposing past failures – critically, it’s about future prevention. We must embed continuous screening into our culture to protect organisations and communities. Ultimately, trust isn’t just built by catching those who fail us – it’s sustained by ensuring the dishonourable are never given an opportunity in the first place. When screening is done right, everyone wins.

Originally posted on Professional Security Magazine, written by Sales Director Tim Stokes.