IT could take eleven times as long to check the criminal records of European nationals arrested in the West Midlands after Brexit, it has been revealed.

Speaking at this week’s Strategic Policing and Crime Board, Chief Superintendent Richard Baker was asked about the potential impact of Brexit on policing.

Current procedures mean that, if a European national is arrested in the UK, their details will be checked in their home country before being sent back to the arresting force for further action.

That process currently takes around six days, with the offender often bailed and then re-arrested if they have any outstanding warrants in their home country.

However, post-Brexit, this six days could increase to as long as 66 days, CS Baker revealed, leaving the force at an ‘increased risk’.

“You will be aware that every time a foreign national offender comes into custody we check and submit their details into ACROs (Association of Chief Police Officers Criminal Records Office) for a criminal record check to be done from their home country,” he said.

“That currently takes about six days to come back, and in the vast majority of cases the individuals have been bailed, or no further actioned, or charged and bailed.

“Then six days later the info comes back telling us about their criminal history from their home country. That then provides us with the opportunities to go and arrest and look for deportation opportunities or at least make the call to where they have been charged with an offence to find out what they have been charged with in their home country.

“Post-Brexit, although we won’t lose access to ACRO, the time to turn that around will increase from six days to approximately 66 days. So there will be an increase in potential risk that we are carrying because we are unaware of their previous criminal history.”