A gross misconduct hearing has been held for the Met Police Commander who wrote anti-drugs strategy. He is accused of having smoked marijuana.

  • Commandant Julian Bennett is facing a misconduct hearing regarding cannabis claims 
  • A tip-off led to the refusal of an officer to undergo a drug testing. 
  • Bennett in his 60’s has been serving in prominent roles in the Met ever since he joined in 1977.  
  • The strategy for increasing awareness about the dangers of drug abuse was also written by him
  • In February, the hearing of directorate professional standards will be held










Metropolitan Police Commander who wrote force’s antidrugs strategy, will be subject to misconduct hearing for allegedly having smoked marijuana.

According to some reports, Commander Julian Bennett (nicknamed “Sacker”) was nicknamed after the large number of officers who were expelled from the force by his rulings. He is accused of having used controlled substances off duty in the period between July 2020 and February 2019.

A tip about his alleged drug abuse led to him refusing to submit to a drug screening.

Bennett is now in his 60s and has held a variety of prominent roles at the Met since 1977 when he joined it. 

His previous leadership of Operation Venice was to target moped gangs. He also managed an operation unit for the London Olympics. 

In 2018, he wrote the Met’s drug strategy from 2017 to 2021 – which was titled ‘Dealing with the impact of drugs on communities’. This strategy outlined the plans of the force to increase ‘awareness about the dangers associated with drug misuse’. 

Metropolitan Police commander Julian Bennet, pictured above in 2017, has held a number of high profile roles since joining the force in 1977

Julian Bennet (Metropolitan Police Commander), is pictured here in 2017. He has served a variety of prominent roles in the Metropolitan Police since 1977, when he joined it.

Bennett was suspended, with full pay, in July last year following claims involving controlled drugs.

In February, he will be charged by the Met directorate for professional standards with discreditable conduct.  

Hearings that led to dismissals of his officers have been presided over by the commander.  

He is well-known for his harsh rulings and was the object of Freedom of Information requests about the number of officers who were dismissed while he was in command.

Bennett was suspended with full pay in July 2020 and will now face a misconduct hearing in February next year

Bennett was suspended with full pay in July 2020 and will now face a misconduct hearing in February next year

The hearings that he presided over resulted in a firing of an officer between June 2010 – February 2012.

In 2009, Ian Tomlinson was struck by a baton with newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson and pushed him to ground at the G20 protests. He chaired that panel. Tomlinson died shortly after he fell.

Advertisement