Met 'plastic police' held over drug and sex attack claims
Two London police community support officers who patrol government buildings have been arrested over drug and sex assault allegations, only days after a Met report revealed that a number are being disciplined for misconduct.
One 19-year-old PCSO was held on Wednesday following claims that he groped and sexually assaulted a woman colleague.
Another, a 24-year-old, was arrested on suspicion of drug-taking yards from StJames's Palace in Pall Mall.
Both men are based in Westminster and patrol the sensitive government security zone containing potential terror targets in central London.
The arrests come days after a report disclosed that London's community support officers are constantly getting into trouble because they are bored and unmotivated.
The Met review found a number of the civilian patrol staff - nicknamed "plastic police" - are being disciplined for misconduct such as drink driving, other motoring offences and inappropriate behaviour.
The majority of London's PCSOs work in Westminster patrolling potential terror targets.
A police superintendent has now issued an email to all 250 or so Westminster PCSOs warning them about their behaviour.
Insiders say they work 12-hour shifts and are given little responsibility. Senior Met officers are said to be concerned about not offending the Police Federation by giving the PCSOs more powers.
The 19-year-old officer is alleged to have groped a woman PCSO on duty and sent inappropriate text messages. He has been placed on restricted duties pending further investigation.
The 24-year-old was arrested with two other men as they sat in a car in Carlton Gardens, a secluded cul-de-sac off Pall Mall. Police found an allegedly illegal white powder in the car.
The report found PCSOs made up more than half of all police staff gross misconduct cases during the past financial year despite only making up one fifth of the workforce.
In more than half the cases, they were sacked or reprimanded for criminal offences. Others were disciplined for behaving inappropriately.
Martin Tiplady, the Met's director of human resources, said: "Some [PCSOs] felt as though they were 'glorified security guards'.
This led to feelings of boredom and reduced motivation." PCSOs were introduced in 2002 to increase the uniformed police presence on the streets.
