More than 2,000 police community support officers have been investigated for misconduct and more than 160 charged with criminal offences since the role was created, it can be revealed.

Figures obtained from police forces show that there has been roughly one inquiry for every seven of the civilian patrollers now employed, for alleged rule-breaking ranging from criminal activity to rudeness.

The findings will add to criticism of PCSOs, who have been controversial since they were introduced in 2002 by then-home secretary David Blunkett as a cheaper alternative to regular officers.

Telegraph.co.uk

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More than 1,000 police officers who used their corporate credit cards for personal spending have been given an amnesty.

Met police chiefs decided there were so many officers guilty of abusing their American Express cards that they would not be punished.

But the force watchdog condemned the move to give offenders just ‘training and guidance’.

One in three of the 3,533 officers who were issued with the corporate credit cards misued them and at one point £3.7million of public money was missing.

So far three officers have been convicted of criminal offences linked to their spending – including former counter-terrorism detective Matthew Washington, who bought a holiday – and items from a Soho sex shop.

Metro

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