Senior Met Police Commander - who wrote force’s drugs strategy - accused of taking LSD and other drugs

A top Met Police police officer, who wrote the force’s current drugs strategy, faces the sack after accusations of taking LSD, magic mushrooms and cannabis.

Commander Julian Bennett, who is in his sixties, is accused of taking controlled drugs between February 2019 and July 2020 while on holiday in France.

He also stands accused of refusing to take a drugs test and lying about why he had not taken one.

A full disciplinary hearing was scheduled to begin yesterday, but it was put back after lawyers representing the officer asked for more time to consider evidence.

Tribunal chairman James Turnbridge adjourned the hearing until May 23.

If found guilty of gross misconduct Commander Bennett will be barred from serving in the force again, and could have his pension cut.

Bennett was the commander for territorial policing between 2017 and 2021 and wrote the Met’s drug strategy.

The document, titled Dealing with the impact of drugs on communities, set out plans to raise “awareness of the dangers of drug misuse”.

Sky News reported that FOIs showed that Commander Bennett also presided over 74 misconduct hearings, involving 90 officers, between June 2010 and February 2012.

Out of these hearings involving Bennett, 56 officers were dismissed - more than 75%.

A further FOI request in 2020 found two officers were dismissed for drugs misuse.