BBC<\/p>\n
Dozens of police officers are being investigated for using anabolic steroids supplied by criminals in gyms, a report has revealed.<\/p>\n
It also says some officers abuse their power to obtain sexual favours.<\/p>\n
The Association of Chief Police Officers in England and Wales ordered the report from the anti-corruption group Transparency International.<\/p>\n
The Police Federation of England and Wales said a “very low” number of officers tested positive for drugs.<\/p>\n
Transparency International is a non-governmental group which monitors corporate and political corruption.<\/p>\n
Its report urges “zero tolerance” on corruption and says forces should not “fire-fight” their way from crisis to crisis.<\/p>\n
Acpo’s spokesman on professional standards, Staffordshire Chief Constable Michael Cunningham, said the problems caused by officers taking steroids were “a significant threat” to the integrity and professionalism of the police service.<\/p>\n
Mr Cunningham said almost all of the 43 forces in England and Wales were investigating police officers involved in bodybuilding who had formed inappropriate relationships with people supplying the drugs.<\/p>\n
“In most forces there will be a police officer who is into bodybuilding and the gym and who would abuse steroids,” he said.<\/p>\n
Such cases would often start with officers going to gyms, starting to experiment with steroids – “then the relationships they form when they’re using steroids become corrupt and corrosive”, he added.<\/p>\n
George Gallimore, lead officer on drugs issues for the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “Officers should be dealt with appropriately under misconduct regulations if they are found to be taking drugs.<\/p>\n
“Random drug tests are already carried out and there is a very low percentage of officers who test positive.”<\/p>\n
Nicole Sapstead is director of operations at the UK Anti-Doping organisation, which is the principal advisor to the government on drug-free sport in the UK.<\/p>\n
She said: “As well as being performance-enhancing, steroids carry serious health risks for the individual using them, which is why they are included in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances in sport.<\/p>\n
“We work closely with law enforcement agencies such as the police to sanction anyone committing a breach of the rules.”<\/p>\n
Hearings plan<\/p>\n
Mr Cunningham said other top risk factors for corruption included the misuse of information systems.<\/p>\n
He said most forces were also investigating allegations against officers “abusing their position for sexual favour”.<\/p>\n
Responding to these specific claims, a Police Federation spokesman said: “We do not condone such behaviour. However, these incidents are extremely rare and there are misconduct procedures in place to cover such allegations.”<\/p>\n
Later this week, chief constables will meet to talk about how best to tackle corruption allegations.<\/p>\n
They will discuss plans including making gross misconduct hearings open to the public and the media as well as setting up ethics committees – independent of the police and crime commissioners – for each force.<\/p>\n
In December, the Inspectorate of Constabulary called on forces to improve plans to combat corruption.<\/p>\n
Investigations into corruption are rising but too few forces are gathering intelligence to prevent it happening, it found.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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