For Allegedly Taking Drugs, A Met Commander Who Devised The Drug Plan Faces Dismissal

After being accused of consuming cannabis, LSD, and magic mushrooms, a top Metropolitan police commander, who created his force's current drug strategy, is facing dismissal.

According to a gross misconduct tribunal, Commander Julian Bennett, who oversaw the firing of two officers for drug misuse, consumed the substances while on vacation in France.

The officer allegedly used the narcotics on vacation between February 2019 and July 2020, and has been suspended on full pay since July 2021 awaiting an inquiry by the Met's directorate of professional standards.

On July 21, 2020, he is accused of refusing to produce a drug sample. He allegedly stated he had taken CBD (cannabidiol) for a medical condition with his face as a reason for denying when told there was sufficient cause to assume he had used cannabis on that date.

The hearing in London was told that a photograph of cannabis on a table sent via WhatsApp had been submitted as evidence.

The hearing, which had been scheduled for this week, was postponed until May 23 after Bennett's attorneys argued that proceeding would not be "fair" because they had not received all of the WhatsApp chats, emails, and SMSs they requested, including a year's worth.

"Although we are all committed to getting this hearing started in the public interest, in the benefit of the Metropolitan police force, and in the interest of Mr Bennett," Bennett's lawyer, John Beggs, said.

The witness may have "cherry-picked" the messages that were made public, according to Beggs.

According to Mark Ley-Morgan QC, the police had provided all necessary information.

Bennett, who faces removal from the force for serious misconduct connected to alleged drug use, wrote the MPS drug plan for 2017-21 as a commander for territory policing.