Norfolk police are to check all serving officers against national crime databases to help identify anyone who has “slipped through the net” before vetting standards were toughened.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council has asked all forces to check officers and staff to ensure those who are unfit to serve can be rooted out.

It comes in the wake of the case of serial rapist David Carrick, a serving Met police officer who committed 85 serious offences over 17 years.

Home secretary Suella Braverman has also asked the College of Policing to strengthen the statutory code of practice for police vetting and brought forward recommendations to investigate the extent of misogynistic and predatory behaviour in police culture.

She said: “David Carrick’s sickening crimes are a stain on the police and he should never have been allowed to remain as an officer for so long.

“We are taking immediate steps to ensure predatory individuals are not only rooted out of the force, but that vetting and standards are strengthened to ensure they cannot join the police in the first place.”