Alan Greer, a police officer later exposed as a serial rapist, was approved to join Strathclyde Police in 2009 despite a record of prior criminal behavior towards women. Greer was investigated in 2002 and 2005 for making inappropriate phone calls, receiving a formal police caution in 2005. Vetting staff were aware of the 2005 caution when he applied to join the force, and a paper record confirms this. The 2002 investigation’s consideration during the recruitment process remains unclear. Police Scotland initially stated there were no “missed opportunities” to identify Greer’s offending sooner, but later clarified this referred to his conduct *during* his career, not the vetting process.
Greer served for 17 years before taking his own life in May, following a police raid on his home as part of an investigation into offenses dating back to 2012. The investigation has linked him to a series of serious sexual offenses, including rape and attempted murder. Police Scotland has identified 15 victims, believing the true number is higher, and found Greer had contact with hundreds of sex workers throughout his career, many of whom were allegedly subjected to violence. He also allegedly took inappropriate photographs of female colleagues.
Craig Naylor, chief inspector of HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland, stated that Greer “should never have got in,” even acknowledging vetting standards were less stringent in 2009. Assistant Chief Constable Lynn Ratcliff initially stated there was no evidence of missed red flags, but later said current vetting is “markedly different” and that Greer would not pass today’s checks. Police Scotland has announced an independent external review led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council to examine Greer’s recruitment and vetting process. The question of whether systemic failures within the vetting process allowed a serial offender to operate within the police force for nearly two decades remains central to the ongoing investigation.
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