123 Part 4 The following points of good practice have universal application: • Ethical personnel policies are essential in maintaining high levels of integrity. Robust systems of selection, including appropriate levels of vetting, should operate at every stage of a police officer’s career, from initial recruitment to selection for specialist posts to promotion. Those who apply for certain high risk posts, such as in counter terrorism, should be subject to enhanced vetting, including of their lifestyle and financial affairs and those of their family members. Any change in personal circumstances occurring after the vetting process has been completed should be notified promptly. Vetting should be repeated at regular intervals; • Integrity should be a standard feature of training courses, especially those for high risk specialist roles and management posts; • A culture of confidentiality should be established, including a constant assumption that the security of investigations and intelligence databases is at risk. A “clear desk” policy should be the norm. Great emphasis should be placed on the “need to know” and systems put in place to protect information, including auditing of database activity, integrity testing and dip sampling. Physical access to areas within police premises housing intelligence units, counter-terrorism units and those investigating terrorism-related crimes should be restricted. At the same time, the right balance must be struck with the ability to freely share information with others who need to know; • The use of informants and undercover agents must be properly controlled and their activities constantly assessed for risk that they can be used as a method of infiltrating police organizations. Those responsible for recruiting and handling informants and undercover agents must receive appropriate levels of training and supervision; • The climate of the agency should encourage and support members of staff who have suspicions about the integrity of colleagues to come forward as courageous “whistle blowers”. There is no place in any law enforcement organization for a culture in which police officers keep silent about suspected wrongdoings by other police officers due to a misplaced sense of loyalty; • All senior officers and supervising officers need to demonstrate leadership and exercise active supervision of their staff. They must be capable of identifying, preventing, challenging and dealing effectively with corrupt and unethical behaviour – complacency is the enemy of security, constant vigilance is essential.