Senior Police Officer Accused of Gross Misconduct over Cannabis and Party Allegations

Strategic Insights -

A senior Metropolitan Police officer, Commander Julian Bennett, is accused of gross misconduct over allegations that he smoked cannabis daily, used magic mushrooms and LSD, and lied about providing a urine sample for testing. The allegations arose from a tribunal hearing, which has heard testimony from a former flatmate, Sheila Gomes, who claimed that Bennett smoked cannabis before breakfast and had regular parties at his flat in 2019. The hearing has also revealed that Bennett wrote the force's anti-drugs strategy in 2017, despite his alleged personal use of illicit substances.

Key Takeaways:

  • Commander Julian Bennett, a senior Metropolitan Police officer, is accused of gross misconduct over allegations of personal use of cannabis, magic mushrooms, and LSD.
  • Bennett allegedly smoked cannabis daily, often before breakfast, and had regular parties at his flat in 2019.
  • Former flatmate Sheila Gomes testified that she saw Bennett smoke cannabis before work and that he would bring it into the flat a few times a day.
  • Bennett denied the allegations, claiming he was taking CBD to treat facial palsy and was worried the sample would come up positive for an innocent reason.
  • Bennett wrote the force's anti-drugs strategy in 2017, despite his alleged personal use of illicit substances.
  • Freedom of information requests showed that Bennett presided over 74 police misconduct hearings, resulting in the dismissal of 56 officers, more than three quarters.
  • Bennett is accused of breaching the force's professional standards for discreditable conduct three times, honesty and integrity twice, and orders and instructions once.

Statistics:

  • 74 police misconduct hearings presided over by Commander Bennett between June 2010 and February 2012.
  • 90 officers involved in misconduct hearings presided over by Commander Bennett during the same time period.
  • 56 officers dismissed by Commander Bennett during his nine-month tenure as a commanding officer in territorial policing, more than three-quarters of the total number of hearings.
  • 2 officers dismissed for drugs misuse during Commander Bennett's tenure.
  • 2017: The year in which Commander Bennett wrote the force's anti-drugs strategy.

Sources:

  • "Met police 'officer smoked cannabis before work and at home', tribunal hears" by Hannah Stead
  • "Commander Julian Bennett: Police officer accused of breaching professional standards over cannabis use" by None Provided