"London criminal gangs to hire former police officers"

From The Evening Standard:

London's crime gangs are set to hire more recruits from the ranks of former police officers in a new drive to bring in 5,000 extra members.

Organised crime is relaxing strict rules on recruitment to allow people to join who have worked as police officers or PCSOs in their past. The existing policy of restricting entry to those who have never worked for the police or only in civilian roles or as informants will be relaxed. A panel is conducting monthly reviews of new applicants who have been rejected because of frontline service.

Crime bosses say the current vetting policy for new recruits is “very restrictive” and they want to bring in a “more balanced and nuanced view.” In future, if ex-officers are considered to have become law breaking citizens they will be allowed to join.

The move comes as the gang bosses announced the first ever ban on new recruits who are not London born and bred. From next month only candidates from families who have lived in a London borough for three of the last four generations will be eligible to join. The new policy is aimed at increasing the number of white gang members to better reflect the ethnic mix of the capital.