DBS hosts virtual tours with police forces

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) recently hosted two virtual tours with Sussex and Essex police forces. The tours, which were facilitated by barring staff at DBS, focused on the role that the police have in providing information to DBS as part of the barring decision-making process.

In the past, police forces been provided with a tour of all barring departments at our barring office, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, recent tours have been virtual.

As an organisation, DBS has no investigatory powers, so we often liaise with police forces as part of the decision-making process when a barring referral is made.

The tours allowed the police to understand how any information they provide is used and gave them an insight into the decision-making process itself, alongside the initial risk-assessment that is carried out by DBS when we receive a referral.

Feedback from Sussex Police and Essex Police has been extremely positive, and highlighted the importance of communication between DBS and the police forces we work alongside.

There will be further tours held in the future.