Met Police PCSO arrested after viral video appears to show him performing solo sex act in London park

A Met Police PCSO has been arrested after a video was shared online of him appearing to perform a sexual act on himself in daylight in a public park.

The viral video shared on Twitter has more than 65,000 views and appears to show the police community support officer (PCSO) pleasuring himself while using his mobile phone.

A member of the public who filmed the PCSO covertly later confronted him and managed to photograph his badge number - leading investigators to track him down.

The officer, who fled the scene, has been arrested on suspicion of outraging public decency.

A 33-second clip, filmed by a member of the public, was posted on social media at 8.43pm on Wednesday, March 30.

It is not known exactly when or where the clip was filmed.

Police say it came to their attention just before 11.30pm that evening and prompted the arrest.

The PCSO, attached to the Roads and Transport Policing Command, remains in custody.

A source told the MailOnline: “For a PCSO to be filmed doing that is hugely embarrassing, it beggars belief. I just can’t understand what he was thinking.”

Commander Kyle Gordon, who leads the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: “I know that everyone will be absolutely shocked by this video.

“I am absolutely horrified and saddened by incidents such as this, as are all decent officers and staff. They are contrary to everything we stand for.

"I would like to reassure everyone that we are working as fast as we possibly can to identify the full circumstances of what took place.

"As soon as we became aware of the video just before midnight we acted immediately. Officers worked throughout the night and a serving member of police staff was arrested in the early hours of this morning and taken into custody.”

He added: “As a criminal investigation is now under way we are limited in what further details we can discuss. However, we will keep the public updated at significant stages of the inquiry.”

The force has confirmed the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) is leading the investigation.

A referral has been made to police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The incident follows a string of scandals for the embattled force- from the horrific murder of Sarah Everard by serving police officer Wayne Couzens and two officers being jailed for sharing photos of the bodies of murdered sisters Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry, to a shock report revealing racist, homophobic and misogynistic behaviour at Charing Cross station.

Couzens was charged earlier this month with four counts of indecent exposure said to have taken place just prior or the murder.

He is serving a whole life sentence for the abduction, rape and murder of Ms Everard.