THE government must take more responsibility to address concerns that thousands of corrupt police officers may be serving in England and Wales, Labour and campaigners urged today.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services revealed in its report on Wednesday that officers who should have failed vetting checks were permitted to serve.

The watchdog found cases where criminal behaviour was dismissed as a “one-off,” and that some staff had criminal records, were alleged to have committed serious crimes, had substantial undischarged debt or had relatives linked to organised crime.

It also said that there was a “prevalent” culture of misogyny, sexism and predatory behaviour towards female police officers and staff and members of the public in many forces.

Shadow home office minister Sarah Jones told the Commons during an urgent question on the issue today: “I am disappointed that the government is not taking more responsibility to lead from the front following such a grim report.

“Yesterday’s report is 160 pages of failure.

“We have heard anecdotal evidence about reports about forces expediting the vetting process in order to meet the government’s recruitment targets.”

Liberty policy and campaigns manager Emmanuelle Andrews called the new findings “just the latest in a long line of reports which talk about the culture of misogyny and racism in policing as if it is new information.”

She said that such a culture “runs through British policing, and it is putting women and people of colour in our communities at risk every day.”

“And yet this year, while it has become clear time and again that the police can’t be trusted with the powers that they have, the government has been pushing through plans to hand them even more,” Ms Andrews said.

“The powers of the police are already so broad that they will always be open to abuse.

“If the government is serious about keeping communities safe, they will roll back these powers, scrap the new Public Order Bill which seeks to widen them, and invest in community-led alternatives to policing with human rights at their heart.”

Home Office minister Chris Philip said that the department will “certainly be implementing” three recommendations from the report directed at it “as a matter of urgency.”

He also said police officer numbers are set to hit “record” numbers next March.