A senior officer has been dismissed from the Metropolitan Police Service without notice for refusing to take a drugs test.
A misconduct hearing found gross misconduct proven against Commander Julian Bennett following an investigation by the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards.
The independent panel leading the hearing announced its findings and sanction against Commander Bennett this evening (Tuesday, 31 October).
Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray said: “Julian Bennett’s actions were deplorable. He was a senior officer and showed complete disregard and disrespect for the standards we must all uphold.
“The public will justifiably be outraged that any police officer, but particularly one of such a senior rank, refused a lawful order to take a drugs test.
“Commander Bennett was highly experienced and knew full well what was required of him, yet he made a choice not to cooperate. He could have been in no doubt of the professional standards required as he was responsible for chairing the misconduct hearings of numerous officers between 2010 and 2016.
“His actions have further damaged not only the public’s trust in us as an organisation, but also the confidence of our own officers and staff in those who lead them.
“The hearing panel was entirely independent of the Met Police, chaired by a legally qualified chair, a senior member of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services and an independent panel member. Throughout the proceedings no police officer was on the panel.
“It is hard to comprehend that it has taken more than three years for this case to conclude. We welcome the Home Office’s recent police dismissals review which aims to address some of the pressing issues that have arisen in this case and many others.
“In the last year the Met has been making greater use of accelerated misconduct hearings to fast track cases where the evidence is irrefutable. This allows us to dismiss officers far more quickly.”
The hearing heard that on 21 July 2020 Commander Bennett refused to provide a urine sample for a drugs test, having been informed there was reasonable cause to suspect he had taken drugs. On 24 July he was suspended from duty.
The panel found that Commander Bennett had breached the standards of professional behaviour in relation to integrity, orders and instructions and discreditable conduct to the level of gross misconduct.
Two further allegations were found not proven: that between February 2019 and 21 July 2020, while off duty, Commander Bennett smoked cannabis, and that he gave an untrue explanation for why he refused to take the drugs test.
Commander Bennett will now be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.
