Almost 1000 PCSOs and police officers have a criminal record

The statistics show forces across the country employ officers with convictions for burglary, causing death by careless driving, robbery, supplying drugs, forgery and perverting the course of justice.

Figures show 58 Yorkshire officers have convictions, but the true figure is likely to be higher because while South Yorkshire and Humberside Police provided figures, West and North Yorkshire Police refused.

Most of the convictions detailed by forces are for traffic offences such as speeding and drink-driving, but the records also include a South Yorkshire Police officer convicted of fishing without a licence.

At least 944 serving officers and police community support officers (PCSOs) have a conviction, with the Metropolitan Police top of the league of shame with 356 officers and 41 PCSOs with convictions.

It was followed by Kent Police with 49, Devon and Cornwall Police with 44, Essex Police with 42 and South Yorkshire Police with 35, although not all the figures are directly comparable.

The details, released in response to Freedom of Information requests, show one inspector in Essex was convicted of possessing and supplying cannabis and a sergeant in Hertfordshire of dangerous driving.

In Merseyside five officers have assault convictions, while one has been convicted of causing death by careless driving.

A Norfolk Police constable also had a conviction for causing death by careless driving, while in North Wales an officer was convicted of forgery.

Home Office guidelines issued in 2003 say that police officers should have “proven integrity” because they are vulnerable to pressure from criminals to reveal information.

The guidance says forces should reject potential recruits with convictions for serious offences unless there are “exceptionally compelling circumstances”.

The conviction figures were released at the same time as senior police defended themselves against allegations that many officers escape punishment for misconduct by quitting their jobs. According to the latest figures, chiefs let more than 130 employees walk out at Scotland Yard alone over the past year instead of making them face a misconduct panel. The force sacked 43 officers over the same period.

But with police conduct under “unprecedented” scrutiny, Commander Peter Spindler, the Metropolitan Police’s discipline chief, insisted he was not letting corrupt officers off the hook.

Mr Spindler, head of the force’s directorate of professional standards, said in many cases “it’s actually more pragmatic to let them resign”.

Senior officers have been angered by a recent report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) claiming forces were failing to respond to “far too many” complaints about officers.

Mr Spindler said the public needed to accept “we don’t live in a perfect world”.

Across the country, more than 6,000 people were forced to appeal to the IPCC this year, 1,200 after complaints were ignored by police, according to Deborah Glass, of the police watchdog.

But Mr Spindler said: “We have managed to reduce complaints by nine per cent over the 12-month rolling period.

“Ignore what the IPCC is saying because it is 10 months out of date. It’s been a lot of hard work to get here.”

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