In a recent tribunal hearing in Southwark, south London, serious allegations have emerged against Commander Julian Bennett, a senior police officer in the Metropolitan Police.
The officer, who played a significant role in drafting an anti-drugs strategy for the force, is accused of daily cannabis use after creating the strategy.
Sheila Gomes, a nurse who lived with Bennett, testified that he was consistently under the influence. The officer denies all the allegations and has been on suspension with full pay since July 2021.
These allegations have raised concerns about his judgment and conduct as a senior officer in the force.
Gomes claimed that Bennett was “never sober” at home, regularly engaging in drinking and smoking.
He was commended for his work on a report about the released under investigation procedure, which involved complex statistical analysis.
A significant percentage of these hearings resulted in officer dismissals, including two cases of officers being dismissed for drugs misuse.