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Can I Transfer Force
With Live Misconduct?

Can a police officer transfer forces while under investigation? Understand vetting, PSD disclosure, gross misconduct risk and barred list implications. England and Wales. Updated 30 September 2026.

PSD Disclosure & Vetting

Executive Summary

Yes, you can apply. However, live investigations must be disclosed.

The College of Policing's vetting guidance says you should not transfer during an ongoing complaint or conduct investigation without the permission of both forces' heads of professional standards. The receiving force must grant its own vetting clearance, and your full complaint and misconduct history goes with you. Transfer does not reset conduct history.

1. The Core Principle

Inter-force transfers require fresh vetting clearance from the receiving force (Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025, regulation 5C, in force for this purpose since 13 July 2026), and the College's vetting guidance sets a "presumption of transparency and full disclosure" about transferees (APP 3.4.5.b). If you are under investigation, that fact is disclosed.

2. What Happens When You Apply?

  1. 1
    Status Check Your current force collates information including complaints and misconduct, performance, business interests and corruption intelligence (APP 3.4.5.a).
  2. 2
    PSD Disclosure Your current force's PSD provides a full complaint and misconduct history, and must explicitly disclose adverse information about your suitability (APP 3.4.5.b, 7.5.1.i).
  3. 3
    Risk Assessment The receiving force must satisfy itself there is no reasonable basis to question your integrity, including no outstanding complaints or matters under investigation (APP 7.5.1.d).
  4. 4
    Vetting Decision The receiving force's vetting authority grants or declines clearance. If it declines, it must give your current force its reasons, and your current force must then carry out a full vetting review (regulation 5C(7)).

Live misconduct does not automatically block transfer in law, but the vetting guidance requires both heads of professional standards to agree before an officer under investigation transfers (APP 7.5.2.a).

3. Live Investigation vs Gross Misconduct

Gross Misconduct

Needs the agreement of both heads of PSD while the investigation is ongoing. If a hearing in your old force ends in dismissal, you go on the barred list (APP 7.5.2.a and 7.5.2.d).

Misconduct

The same rule applies to any ongoing complaint or conduct investigation. Whether a transfer waits for the outcome is for the two forces.

4. Can You Avoid Proceedings by Transferring?

No.

Misconduct follows you.

If you transfer with an active misconduct investigation, you will likely be required to return to your old force to attend the meeting or hearing, and it should share the result with your new force, which may lead to a further investigation there or a review of your vetting (APP 7.5.2.c). You cannot “escape” a live gross misconduct case by moving force.

5. What About Vetting?

A new vetting application is required before a transfer is confirmed (APP 7.5.1.a), and a clearance granted by one force does not bind another (APP 7.5.1.e). Since 13 July 2026, the receiving force's clearance must have been granted within six months before appointment (regulation 5C(2)). Failing to declare a relevant matter your current force did not know about means the application will be declined and your force told, which may lead to a misconduct investigation (APP 7.5.1.k).

6. PSD to PSD Disclosure

The receiving force must request your full complaint and misconduct history and counter-corruption records from every force you have served in, and it is recorded on the receiving force's professional standards database for use in any future severity assessment (APP 7.5.1.h to 7.5.1.j). Your personal record also transfers with you (Police Regulations 2003, regulation 16).

7. Suspension & Transfer

Suspension means an investigation is ongoing, so the rule that both heads of PSD must agree to any transfer applies (APP 7.5.2.a). Suspension is not a sanction, but the receiving force will know about it. We have not found published figures on transfers during suspension.

8. Barred List Risk

If a hearing in your previous force results in dismissal, you are placed on the police barred list and cannot hold the office of constable in any force (APP 7.5.2.d). From 21 September 2026, chief officers and other law enforcement employers must check the barred lists and may not employ or appoint anyone on them (Crime and Policing Act 2026, section 205).

Read Barred List Guide →

9. What If the Case Is Ongoing but Minor?

The same permission rule applies, but the decision is for the two forces. Vetting clearance can be granted subject to conditions (regulation 5C(6)), and your misconduct history is recorded by the receiving force either way.

10. Timing Matters

Scenario A

Allegation surfaces after you have transferred → The matter can still be dealt with, and your history is already on the new force's PSD record.

Scenario B

Apply during investigation → Needs both heads of PSD to agree; you may have to return for any hearing.

Scenario C

Apply after finding → Receiving force reviews outcome and sanction.

11. Does It Look Worse If You Apply?

Not automatically. The receiving force must be satisfied there is no reasonable basis to question your integrity (APP 7.5.1.d), so full and honest disclosure matters.

12. Career Impact Considerations

Even if transfer is technically possible, promotion pathways may pause, specialist roles may be restricted, and vetting reviews may recur. Transfer is not a reputational reset.

13. Common Myths

Myth

If I transfer, the case disappears.

Reality

It follows you.

Myth

The new force won’t know.

Reality

The vetting guidance requires your full complaint and misconduct history to be requested and provided.

Myth

Transfer is easier than resignation.

Reality

Neither ends a gross misconduct case: former officers can still face proceedings, and a transferee may be called back for a hearing.

Common Questions

Can I transfer forces while under investigation?

You can apply, but the College of Policing's vetting guidance says an officer subject to an ongoing complaint or conduct investigation should not be allowed to transfer without the permission of the heads of professional standards of both the current and the receiving force (Vetting APP, May 2025, 7.5.2.a). The receiving force also has to grant its own vetting clearance before appointing you.

Does misconduct stop vetting?

It can. Since 13 July 2026 a transferring officer cannot be appointed unless the receiving force's vetting authority has granted clearance no more than six months before appointment, after assessing the officer's suitability (Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025, regulation 5C). The vetting guidance tells forces to make sure there are no outstanding complaints or matters under investigation that give reason to question integrity (APP 7.5.1.d).

Can gross misconduct cases transfer?

There is no published data on this. The rule in the vetting guidance is that a transfer during an ongoing investigation needs both heads of professional standards to agree (APP 7.5.2.a). If you do transfer, you will likely have to return to your old force for any meeting or hearing, and it should share the result with your new force (APP 7.5.2.c).

Will PSD tell the new force?

Yes. The vetting guidance says the receiving force must request your full complaint and misconduct history and counter-corruption records from every force you have served in, and your current force's professional standards department must provide them (APP 7.5.1.h and 7.5.1.i). Your personal record also moves with you (Police Regulations 2003, regulation 16).

Does transfer remove barred list risk?

No. If a hearing in your old force results in dismissal, you are placed on the police barred list and cannot hold the office of constable in any force (APP 7.5.2.d; Police Act 1996, sections 88A and 88B).

Sources (checked 30 September 2026)

General information, not advice. The vetting APP is guidance; how it is applied to you is for the forces involved.

"Understanding the stage and seriousness of your case is critical before making transfer decisions."

Misconduct Hub Gross Misconduct Guide