US EditionMet Police commander Julian Bennett sacked for second time after refusing drugs test
- Commander Julian Bennett, a senior Metropolitan Police officer, was dismissed in 2025 after refusing a drugs test first demanded in July 2020.
- The dismissal followed a misconduct panel ruling in October 2023, an overturned ruling by the Police Appeals Tribunal, and a second misconduct hearing reinstating gross misconduct findings.
- Bennett, a veteran officer since 1976 who chaired multiple misconduct panels and authored the Met's 2017-21 drugs strategy, remained suspended on full pay throughout the process.
- Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist stated he was "enormously concerned" by the nearly five-year delay and confirmed Bennett never disputed refusing the lawful drugs test order.
- Bennett's dismissal ends a prolonged case that exposed delays in disciplinary processes and will result in his addition to the College of Policing's barred list.
Insights by Ground AI
Does this summary seem wrong?
27 Articles
27 Articles
All
Left
2
Center
15
Right
3
The SunReposted by 
The Irish Sun
The Irish SunSenior police officer fired for second time after refusing to take drugs test
A SENIOR police officer has been fired for a second time after refusing to take a drugs test. Commander Julian Bennett last year successfully appealed against his initial dismissal in 2023. The Met then ordered a fresh misconduct hearing for his refusal to provide a urine sample in 2020. It again found him guilty of gross misconduct. The cop, on the force since 1976, had been suspended on full pay throughout the process. Met Assistant Commission…
·United Kingdom
Read Full Article
Police commander Julian Bennett sacked for second time after refusing drugs test
Following the ruling, the Met Police says Julian Bennett had been suspended on full pay "for an extraordinary length of time" and Londoners will be "outraged... at the utter waste of public funds".
·United Kingdom
Read Full Article
Coverage Details
Total News Sources27
Leaning Left2Leaning Right3Center15Last UpdatedBias Distribution75% Center
Bias Distribution
- 75% of the sources are Center
75% Center
C 75%
15%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
Ownership
To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage
